Health Dept proactively addressing US govt's stoppage of HIV/AIDS, TB treatment funding

JOHANNESBURG - The national Department of Health is taking proactive steps to address the impact of the United States (US) government’s decision to stop donor funding to HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) programmes.  

The department is meeting with the organisations affected by the decision taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.  

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The department initiated the process to understand the impact of funding cuts and to make informed decisions on interventions needed. 

According to the department, patients who have been receiving treatment from private health facilities are most likely to be the hardest hit by the cuts.  

Department of Health spokesperson Foster Moahle said the government wants to work with non-governmental organisations to ensure private health care patients continue receiving treatment.  

“All people living with HIV who were receiving their life-saving treatment from the sites and centres funded by the US government, through USAID and PEPFAR, [are urged] to continue their treatment journey at the nearest public health facilities. “

He added that the department has communicated with provinces to make arrangements to accommodate new patients in the treatment programmes.