SA's HIV/Aids programme won't collapse

HEALTH Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says South Africa’s world-leading HIV/ Aids programme “will not collapse” following the withdrawal of the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) funding earlier this year.

- HOPE NTANZI

This was as the National Treasury injected R753 million into the programme with global partners, pledging a further R600m to support treatment and research.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump's administration announced it would halt all Pepfar funding, following previous global health aid cuts under the same administration.

The decision by USAid to withdraw support has left a significant funding gap, particularly for countries like South Africa, where approximately 17% of the HIV/Aids response was funded by Pepfar.

Presenting the Department of Health’s 2025/26 budget in Parliament on Wednesday, Motsoaledi outlined the National Department of Health’s three key priorities: strengthening the public health system in preparation for National Health Insurance (NHI), eliminating key diseases such as HIV/Aids and TB, and implementing long-overdue reforms in the private health sector.