ELWA Hospital in Paynesville has announced the temporary suspension of all HIV/AIDS treatment and diagnostic services due to a lack of financial support, leaving hundreds of patients in uncertainty.
In a statement issued Wednesday, February 5, hospital officials confirmed that the suspension follows the withdrawal of funding from key partners, including FHI 360, whose staff had been working alongside ELWA’s HIV/AIDS Counseling Center since 2002. The organization’s decision to halt services directly results from the interruption in U.S. government funding through USAID.
ELWA officials disclosed that while discussions are ongoing regarding the potential resumption of U.S. PEPFAR funding, there is no clear timeline for when or if financial assistance will return. The abrupt funding cut has already taken a toll on critical HIV services, including data collection, viral load testing, and peer counseling follow-ups, all of which have been put on hold.
The hospital further warned that medication shortages have reached a crisis level. Infant and pediatric HIV supplies have been completely depleted, while medications for adults and pregnant women are rapidly running out. The shortage of HIV test kits for diagnosis and blood screening also poses a serious risk, potentially affecting blood transfusions and other lifesaving procedures.
Despite the funding challenges, ELWA officials confirmed that some services are continuing through a team of hospital staff and FHI 360 personnel who are volunteering their time. Meanwhile, the hospital remains in active discussions with the National AIDS Control Program (NACP), the Liberian Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders in an effort to restore the supply chain for HIV care.
“We recognize that many healthcare facilities across Liberia and globally are facing similar hardships,” the statement read, as officials called for urgent intervention to prevent further disruptions in HIV treatment.
