On the day of his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order suspending all American aid programs to foreign countries. He also called for the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In Tajikistan, in addition to other programs, this agency provided financial support in the fight against diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population, Jamoliddin Abdullozoda, stated on February 10 that the ministry would seek alternative ways to continue its work in these areas to prevent disruptions.
“USAID works in the fields of combating tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria, as well as in maternal and child healthcare and social protection. Until a mechanism for USAID's further activities is determined, we will look for other ways to continue our work,” he said.
The minister also noted that “there is also the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which operates in the same areas, and we intend to continue our cooperation with them.”
“Additionally, there are other sources of funding, and our goal is to ensure that the level of activity in these areas does not decrease compared to previous years," Abdullozoda added.
Meanwhile, an official source within the Republican Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control told Asia-Plus that USAID does not supply tests and drugs for antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Tajikistan. Specifically, assistance in treatment, testing, and consultant services is provided to the country by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
USAID mainly collaborates with NGOs in providing psychological and social assistance to people living with HIV. Representatives of the NGO "SPIN Plus" also confirmed to Asia-Plus that Tajikistan receives treatment-related support for HIV from the Global Fund.
HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis statistics
The health minister also told reporters in Dushanbe on Monday that currently, 12,480 patients with HIV/AIDS are under medical supervision, including 1,022 children under the age of 18.
Additionally, 293 new cases of HIV infection were identified last year among labor migrants.
In 2024, the number of conducted tests increased by 208,000, and a total of 1,265,331 laboratory studies were carried out across the country.
“As for tuberculosis, if last year 4,545 cases were identified, this year the number is 4,537. However, 89 more cases of tuberculosis were detected this year, which indicates that disease diagnostics in our country have improved. Currently, we have 77 tuberculosis diagnostic devices, 84 BACTEC laboratories for tuberculosis detection, as well as 40 devices for identifying infected individuals,” Abdullozoda added.
What does the Global Fund do?
The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer and more equitable future for all. It raises and invests more than US$5 billion a year to fight deadly infectious diseases, challenge the injustice that fuels them, and strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries.
The Global Fund is a financing mechanism rather than an implementing agency. Programs are implemented by in-country partners such as ministries of health, while the Global Fund secretariat, whose staff only have an office in Geneva, monitor the programs. Implementation is overseen by Country Coordinating Mechanisms, country-level committees consisting of in-country stakeholders that need to include, according to Global Fund requirements, a broad spectrum of representatives from government, NGOs, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and people living with the diseases.
