The Department of Health has assured South Africans it has been preparing for the potential loss of United States HIV/AIDS funding, following reports that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) may be withdrawn.
This comes after the US government said it will stop funding programmes in South Africa intended to tackle the spread of HIV and Aids, according to the BBC.
South Africa has the world’s largest HIV-positive population, with more than 8 million people living with the virus.
The BBC reported that the decision appeared linked to US claims regarding inadequate protection of South Africa’s white Afrikaner minority – an allegation the South African government has repeatedly dismissed.
In response to the news, the Department of Health said it has been developing a self-reliance plan since January 2025, when foreign assistance was initially frozen and USAID grants cancelled.
“While the department has not received formal correspondence from the US Government regarding what has been published in the media, this did not come as a surprise,” the department said in a statement.
“The transition plan has long been developed and the implementation has been ongoing.”
The department acknowledged Pepfar as a significant contributor to the government’s HIV/AIDS response programme, but said the funding does not affect antiretroviral (ARV) provision.
The country procures 90% of ARVs from the government fiscus, with 10% supported by the Global Fund.
Pepfar has been supporting the Department of Health in 27 of the country’s 52 HIV/AIDS high burden districts across eight provinces, excluding the Northern Cape.
The department said public health facilities remain accessible to all clients, including those who previously received services from Pepfar-funded clinics.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will participate in discussions on HIV/AIDS response funding at the United Nations High-Level Meeting in New York today and tomorrow, 22-23 June.
