Accra: The Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) has begun feeling the impact of Donald Trump’s executive order to freeze all foreign aid: The CBC through its Health Services has been receiving funding through PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) to provide anti-retroviral medication for HIV patients.

According to Cameroon News Agency, CBC Health Services employees under the HIV-Free Project have been informed that they may face up to four months without salaries. A document obtained by CNA, authored by the former Director of CBC Health Services and the HIV-Free Country Director, Professor Tih Pius, informed staff of the situation.

Professor Tih noted, “As you are aware, there is a change in the US government. The new president of the USA, Donald Trump took up services this month already. It is a normal tradition in the US government to do a system assessment within the first months of taking over. The assessment requires a shutdown of activities.”

He further explained that during the four-month assessment period, “We shall be unable to pay salaries for January 2025.to April 2025.” The outcome of this assessment remains uncertain, raising questions about whether Trump’s administration will continue or terminate funding for the CBC’s HIV-Free program.

The potential discontinuation of free antiretroviral treatment funding poses a significant risk to HIV patients, who may struggle to afford their medication. This situation threatens to reverse the progress made in controlling the disease, potentially escalating it into a larger public health issue that would necessitate increased funding to manage.