# Exploring HIV/AIDS Funding Cuts and Emerging Needs

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/givewell-conversations-7260294/exploring-hiv-aids-funding-cuts-and-emerging-needs
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/givewell-conversations-7260294/exploring-hiv-aids-funding-cuts-and-emerging-needs.md
Podcast: [GiveWell Conversations](https://stenobird.com/podcast/givewell-conversations-7260294)
Published: 2025-06-05T18:21:09+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c123cc78
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/c123cc78/ce12c6e4.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/givewell-conversations-7260294/episodes/exploring-hiv-aids-funding-cuts-and-emerging-needs
Duration seconds: 1657

## Resource

The US government has historically been a major funder of HIV/AIDS programs, providing around $5 to $6 billion annually through PEPFAR and other initiatives. With anticipated major reductions in US government foreign aid, including potential cuts of 20% to 50% to HIV/AIDS funding, GiveWell is assessing where new, cost-effective needs might emerge. GiveWell aims to find programs where additional funding can have the greatest impact. While HIV/AIDS has not historically been a focus for GiveWell due to substantial US government support, the current funding cuts might lead to potential cost-effective opportunities within HIV/AIDS programming. In the latest episode in our podcast series , GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld speaks with Program Officer Alice Redfern about our initial exploration into HIV/AIDS programming. Elie and Alice discuss: Prevention programs for high-risk populations: While HIV/AIDS treatment and mother-to-child prevention programs are likely to retain funding, prevention programs targeting other high-risk groups have already seen significant cuts and program cancellations. GiveWell is focused on finding cost-effective opportunities within HIV/AIDS programming, and prevention efforts targeting high-transmission populations offer the greatest potential to reduce overall infection rates. The challenge of finding cost-effective opportunities: Unlike GiveWell’s typical approach of broad coverage in a targeted geography (like distributing malaria nets to all children under five in high-burden areas), HIV prevention requires targeting high-risk populations to be cost-effective. This creates a complex “search problem” of identifying programs that efficiently reach these populations in areas with high transmission rates. Promising innovations on the h…

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