The Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima, has warned that the United States’ planned withdrawal of HIV/AIDS funding from South Africa could cost lives and undermine decades of progress in the fight against the disease.

Speaking ahead of a high-level United Nations meeting on HIV/AIDS, Ms Byanyima urged Washington to reconsider the decision and adopt a gradual transition plan to prevent disruptions to critical HIV services.

South Africa carries the world’s largest HIV burden, with about eight million people living with the virus. While the country funds most of its treatment programme, US support has remained crucial for prevention services, testing programmes and healthcare workers serving vulnerable communities.

Ms Byanyima said the funding cuts would have serious consequences for people who rely on these services.

“Taking it away is taking away life-saving support from the most vulnerable people,” she said.

Describing the move as “sad”, the UNAIDS chief warned that broader reductions in global aid funding were already affecting HIV prevention and treatment efforts in several countries.

She noted that the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) contributes more than $400 million annually to South Africa’s HIV response, accounting for up to 17 per cent of the country’s HIV funding.

According to her, the programme has played a critical role in supporting testing, prevention and community-based healthcare services, particularly among populations at higher risk of infection.

Funding withdrawal

The warning comes days after the Trump administration announced plans to begin a phased withdrawal of HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa through PEPFAR.

US officials linked the decision to disagreements with Pretoria over a range of domestic and foreign policy issues, including South Africa’s land reform programme, Black Economic Empowerment policies and what Washington described as insufficient protection for the white Afrikaner minority.

The South African government has rejected those claims, maintaining that its policies are designed to address inequalities inherited from apartheid and are consistent with constitutional principles.

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The funding dispute has raised concerns among public health experts because South Africa remains the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic. The country has more people living with HIV than any other nation and has relied on PEPFAR support for more than two decades to strengthen prevention programmes and health systems.

Although South African authorities have stressed that the procurement of antiretroviral medicines is largely financed through domestic resources, experts warn that cuts to prevention programmes, testing services and healthcare personnel could weaken the country’s broader HIV response and place vulnerable populations at greater risk.

UNAIDS has repeatedly cautioned that disruptions to HIV services could reverse hard-won gains in reducing new infections and AIDS-related deaths, particularly in countries with large treatment and prevention programmes.

Among the victims were two young children, aged two and four, who were found unconscious in a family car outside their home in Carpentras, southeastern France. Emergency responders were unable to revive them.

The extreme weather has forced schools across France to either close or adjust their schedules, while weather agencies across Europe continue to monitor rising temperatures.

In Bordeaux, located in western France’s wine-producing region, temperatures reached 41.9 degrees Celsius, surpassing a record set in August last year. Poitiers, in central France, recorded 41.2 degrees Celsius, breaking a temperature record that had stood since 1947. Preliminary data from Météo-France also indicated that Paris was on course to record its highest-ever June temperature after reaching 38.4 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave has also taken a toll on vulnerable populations. Authorities confirmed that three elderly residents, aged between 80 and 95, died in the Bordeaux region over the weekend from heat-related health complications.

French officials further reported that 13 people drowned between Sunday and Monday as many residents sought relief from the scorching temperatures by swimming in rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Civil Safety spokesperson Jérôme Boulanger urged the public to use only supervised swimming areas, noting that drowning incidents tend to increase significantly during periods of extreme heat.

The heatwave has extended beyond France. In Spain, temperatures in the northern coastal city of San Sebastián were forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius, more than double the area’s historical average for this time of year. Spain’s weather agency, AEMET, said temperatures across the country are running between five and 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms, with some northern regions experiencing even greater anomalies.

Climate experts have linked the prolonged heat to an atmospheric phenomenon known as an “Omega block,” which traps hot air over a region for extended periods. According to Clair Barnes, a research associate in extreme weather and climate at Imperial College London, the system is drawing intense heat from North Africa and the Sahara Desert into Europe while preventing cooler air from entering affected areas.

The United Kingdom is also experiencing unusually high temperatures. The Met Office warned that the ongoing four-day heatwave could push temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius later this week, potentially breaking the country’s June temperature record of 35.6 degrees Celsius, previously set in 1957 and matched in 1976.

Elsewhere, Italy issued red heatwave alerts for 12 major cities as soaring temperatures placed additional pressure on power infrastructure. Utility companies in Turin reportedly increased staffing levels and deployed temporary generators to address localized outages caused by high electricity demand.

The extreme conditions have also affected wildlife. Rehabilitation centres in Belgium reported a surge in rescued birds suffering from heat stress, particularly swifts, swallows and sparrows that nest beneath rooftops. Conservation workers said temperatures under roof eaves can exceed 50 degrees Celsius, forcing young birds to abandon their nests in search of cooler conditions. One wildlife refuge in Temploux said it received 150 affected animals within just three days.

Authorities across Europe continue to urge residents to stay hydrated, avoid unnecessary outdoor activities during peak heat hours and take extra precautions to protect children, the elderly and vulnerable individuals as the heatwave persists.