PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives around the globe and is considered George W. Bush's greatest achievement. Donald Trump has left its future in doubt.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio allowed the continued distribution of HIV medications in the 55 countries supported by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. However, it remains unclear whether the waiver includes preventive drugs or other critical services.

All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations,

The International AIDS Society (IAS) has reiterated the critical need for immediate action to re­store access to all HIV services in Nigeria and other poor resource coun­tries. The International AIDS Society (IAS) acknowledged the decision to waive the suspension of “life-saving humanitarian assistance”,

In Nigeria, PEPFAR remains a major contributor to the treatment of People Living with HIV, covering approximately 90 per cent of the country's treatment needs

”A funding halt for HIV programmes can put people living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in communities and countries,” the statement reads.

The Trump administration has made some concessions to the halt placed on distributions of global HIV treatments via the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), according to The New York Times.

PEPFAR partners describe a whiplash-inducing stop-work order, which has left them with many questions — including whether they can continue to provide lifesaving treatment — but very few answers.

WHO said that over the past year, PEPFAR and partners – including WHO – “have been working on sustainability plans with countries for greater country ownership and reduced donor support up to and beyond 2030.

The State Department issued a waiver for lifesaving aid, but HIV clinics remain shut and uncertainty lingers over the future of PEPFAR, which has saved 25 million lives.

PEPFAR, a $7.5 billion initiative established in 2003, has provided HIV care to millions worldwide. The recent suspension of the program raised concerns about the potential loss of access to HIV medications for more than 20 million people.