The Catastrophe of a Global Resurgence of HIV has Begun
by Lawrence D. Mass, M.D.
I’ve written a lot over the years about AIDS denialism, which ranks among the premiere examples of science denialism for all time. In the early 2000’s, South African President Thabo, Mbeki, an AIDS denialist, prevented the distribution of proven, life-saving antiviral treatment, which resulted in the preventable deaths of a third of a million people. It was one of the greatest catastrophes of preventable deaths in recorded history.
Mbeki may have been singular in the casualty-count cost of his anti-science defiance, but his legacy is now being subsumed by the Trump presidency, with its principal spokesperson for matters of health, RFK JR.
Global, painstaking efforts to contain the spread of HIV have been varied, impressive and successful. They had even entered a forseeable trajectory of ending AIDS, like measles, altogether. Now, however, far greater disasters than the likewise totally preventable measles resurgence are arriving.
What follows is a plea for help from depths of Africa, where the funding for prevention and treatment outreach spearheaded by the Republican administration of George W. Bush has now been abruptly gutted. Please read and consider what is happening in Africa now, where it is headed and how we can help change the penny-wise-pound-foolish floodgates of bonkers anti-science denialism and authoritarian defiance.
Letter of Outreach from Onyekachi Onumara
- My name is Onyekachi and I am a Nigerian Medical Laboratory Scientist and public health advocate. My passion for humanitarian work is deeply personal — rooted in the powerful stories my mother shared from her childhood during the Biafran War (1967–1970). As a young girl, she survived famine and conflict, witnessing firsthand how global humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross, Caritas International, and Médecins Sans Frontières saved countless lives, including her own. Those memories of kindness and compassion passed down through generations have shaped my life’s mission: to serve, to heal, and to give hope.
- For over a decade, I have worked across Nigeria, supporting medical outreaches to underserved communities, especially those ravaged by the Boko Haram crisis working with Pro Health International and Inspire World, advocating for deaf children and adults through the Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative (S-DELI), and championing access to HIV care for Nigeria’s most marginalized populations. My recent work has focused on a critical gap in our healthcare system: the integration of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) into HIV programs for Key Populations (KPs) — groups that often bear the greatest burden of HIV, yet remain the most stigmatized, neglected, and criminalized in Nigeria.
- This year, my abstract on this groundbreaking work — developed under the αCARES Project — was accepted for presentation at the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. It’s an incredible honor and a rare opportunity to elevate voices from Nigeria’s frontlines to the global stage. The presentation will shed light on our innovative cART outreach model, which is transforming HIV and mental health care delivery to those who need it most.
- Unfortunately, due to recent constraints on PEPFAR funding, my organization, had a change of priorities and can no longer support travel for conference presentations, despite their usual commitment to such professional development. This development comes at a particularly sensitive time for global health funding, as recent shifts in U.S. policy threaten to undo hard-won gains in Nigeria’s HIV response.
- That’s why I’m humbly turning to the global community — friends, colleagues, LGBTQ+ advocates and compassionate changemakers around the world. With your support, I can attend the IAS Conference and ensure our research doesn’t just remain on paper, but informs policies, sparks collaboration, and scales up solutions that change lives. Your donation will help cover travel, accommodation, and registration costs.
- More than a trip, this is a mission. A mission to make sure that people who have long been pushed to the margins — sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender persons, people who inject drugs — are not left out of the future of global health.
- Let’s make it happen — together.
- Thank you for standing with me, and with the communities we serve. Every donation, every share, every kind word moves us closer to a more inclusive and compassionate HIV response for all.
Best regards,
