Elton John and David Furnish meet Ugandan partners to discuss the importance of PEPFAR

Through an insightful and in-depth conversation, Elton John and David Furnish connected with Ugandan partners of the Elton John AIDS Foundation to highlight the life-saving impact of PEPFAR—the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief—and the importance of sustained support for HIV care globally.

Thanks to the generosity of the American people, PEPFAR has helped save over 26 million lives. It’s one of the most successful global health programs in history. The recent funding freeze laid bare how quickly hard-won gains can slip away—and underscored the potentially devastating impact of a permanent withdrawal.

“People stigmatise us,” she said. “The facilities we have to go to get our medicines are very far.” Reflecting on the PEPFAR cuts, she added: “We have already started facing the consequences.”

Isa, a social worker at a public health clinic, described how PEPFAR has long been the foundation of HIV services in Uganda, and how the funding freeze has caused critical community-based programs to stop, leaving many without access to treatment.

“Many of our people are poor. They cannot afford to travel to the health facilities to pick up their drugs,” Isa explained. “Because of the reduced funding and lack of community outreach, many failed to access drugs.”

Last week, the US Government took an important step forward by agreeing to restore PEPFAR’s funding for the remainder of 2025. We applaud lawmakers for this life-saving decision.

However, there’s still much more to do. Our collective focus should now be on ensuring resources are channelled to the frontline as soon as possible to prevent new infections and ensure all those living with HIV have access to the treatment they need.

Watch the full video to hear why fully funding PEPFAR is crucial to the future of the global HIV response.