LGBTQIA+ Advocate Warns US Funding Freeze Threatens HIV Treatments in Saint Lucia

Members of Saint Lucia’s LGBTQIA+ community, particularly those living with HIV (PLHIV), are bracing for the potential ripple effects of US policy changes under the Donald Trump administration. A local advocate is warning that proposed cuts to global HIV programmes could disrupt life-saving treatment for the island’s most vulnerable populations. Jessica St Rose, founder of 758Pride, spoke to St Lucia Times about the mounting anxiety within the community, particularly among transgender individuals. “They’re scared,” she explained. “Especially the trans community, who identify as another gender other than what they were born with. They don’t know where they stand right now. In Saint Lucia, we only recognise two genders, so it’s even harder for us.” A primary concern is the potential freeze on funding that supports HIV treatment. Saint Lucia relies heavily on US aid to provide free medications to PLHIV. Cuts to the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund, which have been proposed by the Trump administration, could disrupt access to life-saving treatments. Since its inception under President George W. Bush, PEPFAR has been credited with saving over 25 million lives worldwide. However, Trump’s proposed budget cuts would mark the largest-ever reduction in global...