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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
After US aid cuts, data shows HIV testing drops in South Africa
STORY: The testing and monitoring of HIV patients in South Africa has significantly fallen, previously unpublished government data has shown. That's since, and - according to four HIV experts - appears to be because of, a U.S. cut in aid that funded health workers and clinics. "Wow, people, they're going to die. Really. People, they're going to die." That's Sophy Moatshe, an HIV activist and community leader in the Johannesburg township of Diepsloot. South Africa has the world's highest burden of HIV; around 8 million people, or one-in-five adults, live with the virus. But Moatshe said it can be hard to get HIV patients to seek care because of stigma. The U.S. was funding 17% of South Africa's HIV budget before President Donald Trump's cuts. That paid for resources like, for example, the salaries of 15,000 healthcare workers under the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Those healthcare workers carried out tests and counseling and followed up with patients. PEPFAR funding also supported NGO-run clinics which have now closed. Having frozen many foreign aid programs, Trump has reinstated some lifesaving assistance - including parts of PEPFAR. But he's also targeted South Africa specifically - cutting all funding to the country via an executive order in February. In the last two months, according to data from South Africa's National Health Laboratory Service, viral load testing has fallen. It measures how much of the virus is in the blood of people living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral treatment. That checks if treatment is working and if the virus is sufficiently suppressed to prevent it from spreading to others. Viral load testing is down more than 21% for pregnant women, the data showed, while early infant diagnostic testing has dropped almost 20%. Epidemiologist Dvora Joseph Davey: "So if all of this testing is not getting done, we don't know what level of virus pregnant women have. We don't know how many infants are acquiring HIV. And unfortunately, all of these people are the most vulnerable in our society here. And so pregnant women and infants are at extreme risk of HIV infection, HIV transmission without PEPFAR and the government of South Africa's support." Amid Trump's 'America First' agenda, the long-term future of HIV-related U.S. assistance - in South Africa and indeed the rest of the world - remains unclear. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Health, given a summary of the testing data, said more analysis was needed. He added that South Africa already had challenges with patient retention and viral load testing before the aid cuts. However, HIV experts have been saying for months that the health ministry has been downplaying the impact of the funding loss. A drop in testing figures could be an early warning sign, they added, followed by a rise in new cases and deaths.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exclusive-HIV patient testing falls in South Africa after US aid cuts, data shows
By Nellie Peyton JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Testing and monitoring of HIV patients across South Africa have fallen since the United States cut aid that funded health workers and clinics, with pregnant women, infants and youth the most affected, previously unpublished government data shows. South Africa has the world's highest burden of HIV, with about 8 million people - one in five adults - living with the virus. The United States was funding 17% of the country's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid early this year. Data from the National Health Laboratory Service, a government entity, showed that viral load testing fell by up to 21% among key groups in the last two months, which four HIV experts said appeared to be due to the loss of U.S. funding. Viral load testing measures how much virus is in the blood of people living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral treatment. It is normally done at least once a year. It checks whether the treatment is working and whether the virus is sufficiently suppressed to prevent it spreading to others. With less testing, fewer people who may transmit the virus will be identified. Missing a test can also indicate that a patient has dropped out of the system and may be missing treatment. It is especially important for pregnant women who may be at risk of transmitting HIV through childbirth, and for infants who need to be diagnosed and treated early to survive. Trump froze many foreign aid programmes early in his presidency, before reinstating some lifesaving assistance, including parts of the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), its global HIV initiative. But South Africa was also specifically targeted, with an executive order cutting all funding to the country in February. South Africa did not rely on U.S. funding for its HIV drugs, but about 15,000 health workers' salaries were paid by PEPFAR, which previously gave South Africa over $400 million a year. Most of that funding has been withdrawn, though it is unclear exactly how much. The health workers did HIV testing and counselling in districts with a high prevalence of HIV, and followed up when patients missed a check-up or dropped off treatment, which is common. The PEPFAR funding also supported NGO-run clinics which have now closed. The government has urged HIV patients who did check-ups at those clinics to go to public health centres instead, but public health centres often have long lines and staff can be unwelcoming to certain groups like sex workers or gay men. 'SHOCKING FIGURES' According to the data seen by Reuters, the number of viral load tests conducted for people aged 15-24 fell by 17.2% in April compared to April last year, after dropping 7.8% year-on-year in March. Total population testing was down 11.4% in April. Maternal viral load testing was down 21.3% in April after falling by 9.1% in March, and early infant diagnostic testing was down 19.9% in April after falling by 12.4% in March, the same data showed. The percentage of people who were virally suppressed among those tested also fell nationwide by 3.4% in March and 0.2% in April, with steeper declines for young adults, a further sign that patients may have had their treatment interrupted, the data showed. The data has not been made public. "These are shocking figures, with profound implications for maternal and child health across the country," said Francois Venter, executive director of the Ezintsha Research Centre in Johannesburg. Given a summary of the data, Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Health, said more analysis was needed and that South Africa already had challenges with patient retention and viral load testing before the aid cuts. But HIV experts have said for months that the health ministry was downplaying the impact of the funding loss in South Africa, and that a drop in testing figures might be an early warning sign - followed by a rise in new cases and deaths. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "This data demonstrates what previous models have shown regarding the impact of PEPFAR/USAID cuts on pregnant women and their infants," said Dvora Joseph Davey, an epidemiologist working on maternal and infant HIV at the University of Cape Town. She said the impact was clear at five public health clinics where she works in Cape Town, which since the U.S. aid cuts have been under-staffed, with fewer nurses to draw blood which is needed for viral load tests. 'GOING TO DIE' HIV experts said that diagnostic testing was likely impacted by the funding cuts too, though that data was not available. The counsellors who used to do rapid diagnostic HIV tests are also gone, and pregnant women are no longer being put on preventative HIV drugs (PrEP) because the counsellors are the ones who used to offer that, Davey said. In the Johannesburg township of Diepsloot, HIV activist and community leader Sophy Moatshe said it was hard to get HIV patients to seek care because of the stigma, and that without health workers reaching out when they miss an appointment, many fall through the cracks. "These people, they don't want to go to the clinic," she said outside a community centre in the crowded informal settlement. "If there is nobody to check them, they're going to die." The long-term future of HIV-related U.S. assistance remains uncertain in South Africa and globally, as Trump pursues significant cuts to the international aid budget in line with his "America First" agenda. The cuts have also hit research, including HIV vaccine trials. Department of Health spokesperson Mohale said the government was speaking to prospective local and international donors about covering funding gaps, but declined to give details. The data on testing in April, however, was "a good indication of what's going to happen in the future," said Davey.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Exclusive-HIV patient testing falls in South Africa after US aid cuts, data shows
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Testing and monitoring of HIV patients across South Africa have fallen since the United States cut aid that funded health workers and clinics, with pregnant women, infants and youth the most affected, previously unpublished government data shows. South Africa has the world's highest burden of HIV, with about 8 million people - one in five adults - living with the virus. The United States was funding 17% of the country's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid early this year. Data from the National Health Laboratory Service, a government entity, showed that viral load testing fell by up to 21% among key groups in the last two months, which four HIV experts said appeared to be due to the loss of U.S. funding. Viral load testing measures how much virus is in the blood of people living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral treatment. It is normally done at least once a year. It checks whether the treatment is working and whether the virus is sufficiently suppressed to prevent it spreading to others. With less testing, fewer people who may transmit the virus will be identified. Missing a test can also indicate that a patient has dropped out of the system and may be missing treatment. It is especially important for pregnant women who may be at risk of transmitting HIV through childbirth, and for infants who need to be diagnosed and treated early to survive. Trump froze many foreign aid programmes early in his presidency, before reinstating some lifesaving assistance, including parts of the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), its global HIV initiative. But South Africa was also specifically targeted, with an executive order cutting all funding to the country in February. South Africa did not rely on U.S. funding for its HIV drugs, but about 15,000 health workers' salaries were paid by PEPFAR, which previously gave South Africa over $400 million a year. Most of that funding has been withdrawn, though it is unclear exactly how much. The health workers did HIV testing and counselling in districts with a high prevalence of HIV, and followed up when patients missed a check-up or dropped off treatment, which is common. The PEPFAR funding also supported NGO-run clinics which have now closed. The government has urged HIV patients who did check-ups at those clinics to go to public health centres instead, but public health centres often have long lines and staff can be unwelcoming to certain groups like sex workers or gay men. 'SHOCKING FIGURES' According to the data seen by Reuters, the number of viral load tests conducted for people aged 15-24 fell by 17.2% in April compared to April last year, after dropping 7.8% year-on-year in March. Total population testing was down 11.4% in April. Maternal viral load testing was down 21.3% in April after falling by 9.1% in March, and early infant diagnostic testing was down 19.9% in April after falling by 12.4% in March, the same data showed. The percentage of people who were virally suppressed among those tested also fell nationwide by 3.4% in March and 0.2% in April, with steeper declines for young adults, a further sign that patients may have had their treatment interrupted, the data showed. The data has not been made public. "These are shocking figures, with profound implications for maternal and child health across the country," said Francois Venter, executive director of the Ezintsha Research Centre in Johannesburg. Given a summary of the data, Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Health, said more analysis was needed and that South Africa already had challenges with patient retention and viral load testing before the aid cuts. But HIV experts have said for months that the health ministry was downplaying the impact of the funding loss in South Africa, and that a drop in testing figures might be an early warning sign - followed by a rise in new cases and deaths. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "This data demonstrates what previous models have shown regarding the impact of PEPFAR/USAID cuts on pregnant women and their infants," said Dvora Joseph Davey, an epidemiologist working on maternal and infant HIV at the University of Cape Town. She said the impact was clear at five public health clinics where she works in Cape Town, which since the U.S. aid cuts have been under-staffed, with fewer nurses to draw blood which is needed for viral load tests. 'GOING TO DIE' HIV experts said that diagnostic testing was likely impacted by the funding cuts too, though that data was not available. The counsellors who used to do rapid diagnostic HIV tests are also gone, and pregnant women are no longer being put on preventative HIV drugs (PrEP) because the counsellors are the ones who used to offer that, Davey said. In the Johannesburg township of Diepsloot, HIV activist and community leader Sophy Moatshe said it was hard to get HIV patients to seek care because of the stigma, and that without health workers reaching out when they miss an appointment, many fall through the cracks. "These people, they don't want to go to the clinic," she said outside a community centre in the crowded informal settlement. "If there is nobody to check them, they're going to die." The long-term future of HIV-related U.S. assistance remains uncertain in South Africa and globally, as Trump pursues significant cuts to the international aid budget in line with his "America First" agenda. The cuts have also hit research, including HIV vaccine trials. Department of Health spokesperson Mohale said the government was speaking to prospective local and international donors about covering funding gaps, but declined to give details. The data on testing in April, however, was "a good indication of what's going to happen in the future," said Davey. (Reporting by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Tim Cocks and Aidan Lewis)
Time of India
10-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Beggar saves Rs1 lakh dreaming to build her own house
Nagpur: A routine rescue under ' ', an initiative run by police for the destitute and homeless, left the cops and NGO stunned as they found an elderly beggar holding on to Rs1 lakh. Parvatabai Mandavkar, 75, driven out of her house by her kin several years ago, was saving the money to buy a place she can call lived under the railway overbridge near Poddareshwar temple. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She was rescued and shifted to Mayo Hospital before being sheltered at an NGO-run Kshirsagar, director of the NGO which rescued Parvatabai, said that Parvatabi was rescued and rehabilitated in the past too. "Every time, the elderly alms-seeker would clutch onto her bag and hold it tightly against her chest. She would not share anything about the bag or what was kept inside it. This time, the NGO team was surprised to see the cash and got it counted. The cash was safely kept at the shelter home," said as domestic help, sometimes seeking alms, and picking up small jobs, Parvatabai saved every penny in the last few years to be able to have a home of her own. Staying under the open sky, Parvatabai dreamt of building a house for braved the elements of weather, scorching heat, chilly winters and rain for several years before the cops and the NGO team of Aastha beggar rehabilitation shelter rescued her. CP Ravinder Singal launched the campaign to ensure the homeless wanderers are offered medical assistance before being rehabilitated at some govt or private said the woman had around 150 currencies of Rs500 denomination. She also had around 30 coins of Rs2 and another 23 coins of Rs one. "We are still unsure about her husband or children as she never discussed it. She sometimes goes to meet her niece at Nara Nari near Jaripatka but cannot stay with her as she is married. All she wanted was to build a home for herself," said Kshirsagar.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Tripura to introduce biometric attendance system in govt-run tribal hostels
Agartala, The Tripura Tribal Welfare department will introduce biometric attendance system in all government-run tribal hostels to closely monitor the presence of students, an official said on Monday. The Tribal Welfare department runs 164 tribal hostels, while 43 hostels are functioning under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council . The state government spends ₹80 crore annually for running these hostels. "Tribal Welfare minister Bikash Debbarma held a review meeting recently to check the functioning of tribal hostels. In the meeting, a number of decisions were taken to streamline the system to provide better facilities to the students," Tribal Welfare department Director Subhasish Das told PTI. He said the biometric attendance will be introduced in all hostels which function under the direct control of the department. "The boarders need to use biometric attendance system twice a day - morning and evening. This will not only help the department to maintain transparency in attendance but also check the alleged malpractice in running the hostels," Das said. The biometric system will be introduced in TTAADC and NGO-run hostels in the second phase, he said, adding initiatives have been taken to develop a dedicated software for this purpose. Das said the department which spends ₹80 per day per student on food, has proposed the government to increase the food money to ₹120 in view of the price rise. Out of 164 hostels, smart class facilities will be introduced in 100 hostels in the first phase so that the students residing in the hostels can get online classes to be controlled from a centralised mechanism in Agartala, he said. The department will provide digital library facility with 5G Internet connection to all hostels so that students could get the best possible facilities in their hostel, he said, adding solar lighting system will also be provided to hostels. Das said steps are being initiated to introduce clean and green awards to hostels at subdivision, district and state level for maintaining cleanliness and greenery. He said the department has already proposed to the government to appoint superintendent for all the hostels to manage them efficiently.
