Motsoaledi says more than 15,000 SA health workers will be affected by US move to halt HIV/AIDS funding

JOHANNESBURG - More than 15,000 health workers in the country will be affected by the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw HIV/AIDS relief. 

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced a freeze on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

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Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that while more than 200,000 health workers received their salaries from the government, 15,000 had been fully reliant on PEPFAR.

"In the 27 districts, the total number of staff is 271,666. These are the people on the ground who every day go to work to fight this disease in the 27 districts, but out of these 271,606, 256,452 are funded and paid for by the government of the Republic of South Africa. That leaves us with 15,154."

However, the US government has revised its decision to halt all foreign programmes, stating that lifesaving treatments and medications were exempt from the withdrawal.