HIV programmes will not collapse after Trump funding cuts, Motsoaledi says
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi .(Alet Pretorius/Foto24/Gallo Images)
Health Minister
South Africa is spending R46.8 billion on its
'It is inconceivable that out of R46.8 billion spent by the country on HIV/Aids programmes, the withdrawal of R7.9 billion by
'We must put it categorically clear that under no circumstances will we allow this massive work, performed over a period of more than a decade and a half, to collapse and go up in smoke because President Trump has decided to do what he has done.'
Earlier this year, Trump cut US foreign aid globally, effectively ending funding for HIV/Aids and tuberculosis programmes in South Africa.
On Thursday, Motsoaledi acknowledged that the funding cuts had sparked stress and fear in the health sector, and among patients, but said existing funding programmes are cushioning the blow.
Pepfar supported the
'When the Pepfar-funded clinics were closed … 63 322 files belonging to these key populations were moved to public health facilities,' the minister said.
'It is not only Pepfar which was dealing with key populations clients but other prominent funders like the Global Fund have been supporting the country with health services for these key populations,' he added.
The Global Fund supports 34 designated facilities and has enabled more than 74 000 people from key populations to receive treatment, according to Motsoaledi.
Motsoaledi said 8 061 out of 15 539 workers in the 27 districts funded by Pepfar had lost their jobs. The remainder are still employed — for now — through interim support which will last until September.
The minister said South Africa was still on track to meet the UN's 95-95-95 target to
'We know that there are 7.9 million people in South Africa who are estimated by UNAids to be HIV positive. At the moment, in terms of the UNAids target, we are at 96-79-94 and today we have 5.9 million people who are on ARV therapy,' Motsoaledi said.
He added that the government's Close the Gap campaign, launched in March, aims to shift the needle from 79 to 95 by getting 1.1 million people who are HIV positive onto treatment by the end of the year.
So far, 520 700 have been started on treatment, Motsoaledi said.
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