The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has welcomed legislative approval from the United States for a $6 billion spending package to help tackle the disease, following nearly a year of sharp aid cuts.

UNAIDS, the UN agency leading the global effort to end HIV/AIDS worldwide, gave the commendation in a statement on Thursday.

“This U.S. investment will provide lifesaving support for millions of people in partner countries and help to ensure that the global HIV response remains efficient, data-driven and delivers results,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS’ executive director. “I thank President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress for their continued commitment to HIV and global health.”

The UN agency said the $5.88 billion spending package approved on Tuesday “reinforces the continued commitment and leadership of the United States in the global response to HIV”.

For more than two decades, U.S. investments have been the leading driver of the global HIV response, saving millions of lives and supporting countries’ efforts to end their AIDS epidemics, the UN agency said.

The package allocates $4.6 billion to bilateral HIV support through the America First Global Health Strategy; $1.25 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and $45 million to UNAIDS.

The law advances the America First Global Health Strategy, which emphasises achieving UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 targets as an integral part of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, and accelerates the strategic shift towards country ownership and self-reliant HIV responses.

The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS coordinates and drives the efforts of 11 UN organisations, including the UN Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation, towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Since the establishment of UNAIDS in 1996, the U.S. government has been a leading partner of UNAIDS and recently renewed its membership in the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board through to 2028.

As for the new bipartisan law, UNAIDS said the agency is committed to leveraging the funding to provide data and rigorous technical and strategic support to countries and communities most affected by HIV and for the implementation of the America First Global Health Strategy, working closely with the U.S. government, the Global Fund, partner governments and communities.

(NAN)