Discovery That PEPFAR Funding Went Toward Abortion Services Could Add Extra Hurdles To Program’s Long-Term Reauthorization

The Hill (1/17, Kelly) reported Republican lawmakers are raising concern with “the State Department after learning that recipients of funding from the legacy program to curb HIV/AIDS across Africa, PEPFAR, performed abortions in violation of U.S. law.” Federal “officials told members of Congress that a review of PEPFAR-funded service providers in Mozambique had revealed that four nurses had performed 21 abortions since January 2021, Reuters reported.” Although “abortion is legal in that country, service providers across Africa that get funding through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are barred under U.S. law from providing abortion services.” According to The Hill, “the discovery that some of the funding went to services that provided abortions is likely to add extra hurdles to the program’s long-term reauthorization.”