Direct Relief delivers pediatric HIV medicine to Rwanda amid HIV aid disruptions

The shipment included pediatric dolutegravir, an antiretroviral drug used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV in adults and children. The medication was donated by ViiV Healthcare, a pharmaceutical company focused on HIV treatment research and development.

While Direct Relief has long supported HIV care through programs targeting opportunistic infections, including the Diflucan Partnership Program, it has historically provided limited antiretroviral medicines, a category largely funded through government-supported initiatives.

Pediatric dolutegravir has improved treatment options for young children living with HIV, who have traditionally faced fewer child-friendly formulations, more complex dosing requirements and medications that were harder for caregivers to administer consistently. The drug is taken once daily, is generally well tolerated and has a high barrier to drug resistance.

The donation comes as HIV programs across Africa face uncertainty following changes to U.S. foreign aid funding. Since 2003, the United States has been the largest funder of HIV treatment programs in the region through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.

In January 2025, the U.S. government froze most foreign aid programs, including PEPFAR, although some HIV services were later allowed to continue under a waiver. UNAIDS has reported treatment interruptions, medicine stockouts and disruptions to community health programs that support adherence in several countries.

The donated medicine is intended for children who lost access to treatment because of stockouts.

“If a patient goes a month without treatment, that can lead to resistance, and if you bring that same treatment back, it may be less effective because the virus can mutate,” said Dr. Jeffrey Samuel, Direct Relief’s regional director for Africa.

Samuel said Direct Relief is prepared to work with pharmaceutical partners and local organizations to help maintain treatment access if funding gaps continue to affect HIV programs.