Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, warns that HIV infections could rise drastically by 2029 without U.S. funding, potentially leading to millions of deaths and orphans. She highlights the critical role of American aid in combating the epidemic, citing recent layoffs of health workers in African countries due to funding freezes. Byanyima calls for a reevaluation of U.S. foreign aid, emphasizing the mutual benefits of maintaining support amid innovative prevention measures like the new drug lenacapavir.