Latest news with #President'sEmergencyPlanforAIDSRelief
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Tilly Brouwer retires after 21 years at St Francis
After over two decades at the helm of the St Francis Care Centre, Tilly Brouwer (76) is retiring on May 30. A pillar of strength during some of the darkest days of the HIV/Aids epidemic, the Cinderella resident leaves behind a legacy of compassion, courage and unwavering commitment to the most vulnerable in society. When Tilly joined the centre in July 2004, South Africa was facing the full brunt of the HIV pandemic. 'Back then, there was no medication available. People came to us to 30 to 40 deaths per month in the adult unit, the centre became a place where families found dignity in death and solace in sorrow.' Just months into her tenure, everything changed when St Francis became a beneficiary of PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). 'That was a turning point. We could screen, test, counsel, and start people on antiretroviral treatment. The change in patients was incredible.' Tilly recalls the centre's first day of offering antiretroviral treatment, September 1, 2004, as a cold, rainy day. 'An aunt brought her niece, who was on death's doorstep, to us. She had accepted she was going to die, but we started her on treatment and almost 21 years later, she was alive and thriving. 'We come from a time when HIV was a death sentence to where it is now seen as a chronic condition – manageable and treatable.' Under Tilly's guidance, St Francis evolved from an HIV-focused facility into a fully fledged palliative care centre, serving patients with any life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses. 'We expanded to palliative care in its true form – focused on pain relief, comfort, and dignity at the end of life.' The centre's children's ward, Rainbow Cottage, has also been close to Tilly's heart. They serve children from birth to six years, many abandoned, orphaned or abused. Father Stan Working alongside the late Father Stan Brennan, founder of the centre, was a highlight of Tilly's career. 'He was a man of vision. If he saw a need, he addressed it. Father Stan had a wonderful sense of humour and he taught me sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.' Tilly recalls one example of this approach when she sent a nurse to Rio de Janeiro to escort a South African woman home after she had been imprisoned for drug trafficking. 'She was HIV positive, desperately ill and had nobody else. We brought her back, reconciled her with her children and she was baptised before passing away peacefully. That is what St Francis is about.' Another of Tilly's proudest achievements has been securing funding for the centre, often from international donors and the national lottery. 'We had to work hard to keep the lights on. But we never turned a patient away because they could not pay. That was a promise I made to Father Stan.' Despite the weight of leadership, Tilly always believed in empowering her team and maintaining stability. On entering retirement, Tilly said the transition is daunting but exciting. She plans to split her time between South Africa and Australia, where two of her children and three of her 10 grandchildren live. 'I will travel, but will always keep an eye on St Francis. Father Stan's legacy must be honoured.' Her advice to her successor: 'Stay focused on the mission. Advocate fiercely, especially for the children. They cannot speak for themselves. When I look into their eyes, I always hear: 'What are you doing about my future?'' Also Read: New chairperson for St Francis Care Centre Also Read: Hillcrest crushes St Francis in dominant festival performance At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Eyewitness News
21-05-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Budget 3.0: Some political parties worried about non-allocation of funds for SA's HIV programme
JOHANNESBURG - Concerns have been raised by some political parties over the government not allocating money to cover the shortfall of using USAID. Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump suspended the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, also known as PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). As one of the many countries that receive aid through PEPFAR, the suspension left South Africa's HIV fight efforts with a budgetary gap of more than R8 billion. ALSO READ: PEPFAR withdrawal a 'train smash' for thousands of workers, Motsoaledi tells NCOP During his budget speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said allocations to cover PEPFAR have not been made yet. United Democratic Movement (UDM) deputy president Nqabayomzi Kwankwa says Godongwana is treating the budget as a statement of hope instead of making concrete plans. 'It means we are treating this budget like manna from heaven, we are going to pray and expect him to fall from heaven, that only happened during biblical times. That is why some of the expenditure items, which are very sticky, like providing funding for PEPFAR, have been deferred to a future point in time. He says once resources allow.' Democratic Alliance (DA) national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau says the party is hopeful President Cyril Ramaphosa's bilateral meeting with Trump today will result in the reinstatement of PEPFAR. 'We are obviously very worried because HIV is a very serious illness in this country, and we want to make sure the country is safe, and we want to have a healthy population. We also know today, the president of the country is engaging the US, and we will see what comes out of those engagements.'
Bloomberg
27-03-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Trump's Foreign Aid Retreat Guts Funding for HIV Treatments, Risking Lives Globally
Lucy Wambui first suspected she was HIV-positive in 2000, when her baby fell ill and died. At the time, treatment for the virus was too costly for many families in the Kenyan town where she lives, 120 miles from Nairobi. 'People used to sell their land to buy medicines,' she recalled. It wasn't until 2011 that she began antiviral therapy, thanks to free drugs available through the US-funded President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
India's first trans clinic forced to close after USAid cuts
India's first dedicated transgender healthcare clinic has closed after the Trump administration froze USAid funding for overseas projects. Mitr Clinic, located in the south Indian city of Hyderabad, had its US foreign funding cut off under a 90-day USAid freeze signed off by Donald Trump. Clinic staff have been fired and patients were advised to seek alternative treatment elsewhere. 'We were informed that the funds had been cut off because president Trump ordered a freeze on our clinic's funding,' a former clinic official told The Telegraph. 'We had been serving hundreds of transgender patients, providing mental healthcare and transition-related medical services. We stopped operations in early February, with no hope of resuming.' Roomy, a transgender patient who used to visit the clinic, said: 'Mitr was the only facility where we were getting free healthcare without any discrimination. I am heartbroken and enraged with its closure.' The abrupt closure highlights the global consequences of US foreign aid cuts, particularly across Africa and South Asia. Established in 2021 by USAid in partnership with Johns Hopkins University under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Mitr Clinic functioned as a one-stop centre offering free general health consultations, HIV screening and treatment, mental health support, and gender-affirming services. It is one of many healthcare centres across Africa and South Asia affected by Mr Trump's funding freeze, which supporters have defended as a measure to prevent US taxpayer money from supporting gender-affirming healthcare abroad. Last month, US Senator John Kennedy criticised Mitr Clinic's funding, arguing that Americans should not foot the bill for transgender clinics in India. Since returning to office, Mr Trump has reinstated policies limiting transgender rights, including a ban on gender-affirming care for individuals under 19 and restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the military. His administration has also barred transgender women and girls from participating in women's sports in federally funded schools and mandated that detainees be housed according to their sex assigned at birth, raising concerns about safety. 'The US, once a global leader in transgender rights and healthcare, has suddenly become a dangerous place for transgender people,' said Aqsa Shaikh, an associate professor at the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. 'This development is disastrous. India must now step up and create an ecosystem that provides transgender persons with the life-saving care they need.' As of January 2025, the Hyderabad clinic employed seven transgender staff members and provided healthcare services to 150–200 LGBT individuals every month. Since its inception, it has registered over 4,900 patients, with a significant focus on HIV treatment. Until June 2024, the clinic reported a 6 per cent HIV positivity rate, with 83 per cent of diagnosed patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
27-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
India's first trans clinic forced to close after USAid cuts
India's first dedicated transgender healthcare clinic has closed after the Trump administration froze USAid funding for overseas projects. Mitr Clinic, located in the south Indian city of Hyderabad, had its US foreign funding cut off under a 90-day USAid freeze signed off by Donald Trump. Clinic staff have been fired and patients were advised to seek alternative treatment elsewhere. 'We were informed that the funds had been cut off because president Trump ordered a freeze on our clinic's funding,' a former clinic official told The Telegraph. 'We had been serving hundreds of transgender patients, providing mental healthcare and transition-related medical services. We stopped operations in early February, with no hope of resuming.' Roomy, a transgender patient who used to visit the clinic, said: 'Mitr was the only facility where we were getting free healthcare without any discrimination. I am heartbroken and enraged with its closure.' Funding for Mitr Clinic criticised The abrupt closure highlights the global consequences of US foreign aid cuts, particularly across Africa and South Asia. Established in 2021 by USAid in partnership with Johns Hopkins University under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Mitr Clinic functioned as a one-stop centre offering free general health consultations, HIV screening and treatment, mental health support, and gender-affirming services. It is one of many healthcare centres across Africa and South Asia affected by Mr Trump's funding freeze, which supporters have defended as a measure to prevent US taxpayer money from supporting gender-affirming healthcare abroad. Last month, US Senator John Kennedy criticised Mitr Clinic's funding, arguing that Americans should not foot the bill for transgender clinics in India. Since returning to office, Mr Trump has reinstated policies limiting transgender rights, including a ban on gender-affirming care for individuals under 19 and restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the military. His administration has also barred transgender women and girls from participating in women's sports in federally funded schools and mandated that detainees be housed according to their sex assigned at birth, raising concerns about safety. 'The US, once a global leader in transgender rights and healthcare, has suddenly become a dangerous place for transgender people,' said Aqsa Shaikh, an associate professor at the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. 'This development is disastrous. India must now step up and create an ecosystem that provides transgender persons with the life-saving care they need.' As of January 2025, the Hyderabad clinic employed seven transgender staff members and provided healthcare services to 150–200 LGBT individuals every month. Since its inception, it has registered over 4,900 patients, with a significant focus on HIV treatment. Until June 2024, the clinic reported a 6 per cent HIV positivity rate, with 83 per cent of diagnosed patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).
