The fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria is at risk. Global health financing faces severe cuts. This threatens decades of progress. Urgent calls are being made for Global Fund replenishment. Without it, countless lives are in danger. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has sounded an alarm. The medical group has released a new report. It is titled Deadly Gaps. The report…
Tag: PEPFAR
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UNAIDS Closure Causes Outrage Among Health Advocates
South African health advocates have issued a stark warning. They believe the planned closure of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) will have a devastating effect on millions of lives. This also risks derailing decades of progress in the global fight against the epidemic. According to a United Nations document released this week, the United Nations will “sunset” the…
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America First Health Policy Threatens Global Health Aid
The future of vital United States health aid to South Africa now hangs in the balance. This comes after the Trump administration unveiled a new “America First” global health strategy last week. This move is part of the broader America First health policy initiative announced by the administration. This policy overhaul aims to transition recipient countries towards self-reliance. It does…
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Gilead’s Lenacapavir to Reach High-Burden Nations ‘At Cost’
The US government and Gilead Sciences have announced a landmark plan to supply the long-acting HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, at cost to high-burden countries. This initiative aims to protect 2 million people via PEPFAR and The Global Fund. In a major step forward for global public health, the United States State Department announced a groundbreaking plan on Thursday. The aim…
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PEPFAR Funding Secure for Vital HIV Programmes
The United States Congress has spared the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a cornerstone of global HIV/AIDS prevention for nearly two decades, from a potential $400 million budget cut.. The proposed reduction was part of the Trump administration’s wider “rescissions package.” This package aimed at clawing back $9.4 billion in previously approved federal spending. However, lawmakers raised significant…
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UNAIDS and the Fight Against Global AIDS Progress
Decades of remarkable progress in the global fight against HIV and AIDS are in jeopardy following massive and abrupt international funding withdrawals, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) announced at the launch of its Global AIDS Update 2025. The report, titled “AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform”, was unveiled at Bertha Gxowa Hospital in Germiston.…
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Motsoaledi’s Budget Aims to Strengthen Health System
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has outlined a budget of R64.8 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. He presented a plan to Parliament aimed at strengthening the public health system. This system has been battered by years of austerity and recent geopolitical challenges. Within Motsoaledi’s budget, there are strategies in place to address infrastructure issues and healthcare staff shortages. In…
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HIV/AIDS Funding Gap: Government Steps In
The South African government has stepped in with a crucial R753.5 million injection from the National Treasury to sustain the nation’s HIV/Aids programmes. This vital funding seeks to close the HIV/AIDS funding gap. The withdrawal of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) significantly impacted this gap. This move had threatened to derail decades of progress in…
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Funding Gap Threatens HIV and TB Progress
The public health system is facing a severe crisis, gripped by uncertainty and despair. This occurs five months after the withdrawal of approximately R7 billion in annual US aid. This has resulted in a funding gap that exacerbates the situation further. The government’s extended silence on a recovery plan has left healthcare workers and civil society organisations demanding immediate action.…
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HIV Crisis: Impact of US Aid Cuts on Treatment
South Africa’s hard-won gains against the ongoing HIV crisis and AIDS are facing a perilous new challenge following significant cuts to US funding. These cuts have sparked fears of a resurgence in infections and deaths. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, once lauded for his decisive action against the epidemic, is now under intense scrutiny for his response to the escalating…
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HIV/AIDS Programme Remains Strong Amid Funding Cuts
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has provided reassurances on the future of South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme following the withdrawal of PEPFAR funding. He detailed the government’s mitigation efforts and engagements with potential donors.1 HIV/AIDS Programme ‘Not at Risk of Collapsing’ Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has moved to quell fears surrounding the future of South Africa’s HIV/Aids response. He firmly stated the…
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PEPFAR Funding Cuts Threaten South Africa’s Health
A concerning new study has highlighted the potentially catastrophic consequences for South Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS. This could occur if the United States implements PEPFAR funding cuts. Additionally, the South African government does not significantly increase its investment. The research indicates that such a scenario by 2028 could lead to an alarming 65,000 additional AIDS-related deaths. There could also be…