Trump's return 'bad news for SA'

Programmes could be affected by restrictions expert.

- Eric Naki

United States' donor funding has been central in keeping South African health services and medical research vibrant for generations, but the return of Donald Trump to the White House could see some funds restricted or cut off.

Medical and academic fraternities fear that the US funding of certain health care programmes under the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other health care programmes that do not appeal to the Republicans' conservative views, such as reproductive health and abortion might face funding restrictions.

Progressive Health Forum national co-ordinator Dr Aslam Dasu said the Trump administration could mean bad news for donor funding to South African health care and research programmes.

Dasu and other health workers and academics did not envisage a complete stopping of the funding, but believe the programmes could be affected by restrictions imposed by Trump.

However, they were optimistic that the United States President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) would remain untouched in any policy shift.