By Thapelo Molefe
The Department of Health says it has not received any official communication from the United States (US) government regarding reports that Washington intends to end PEPFAR funding in South Africa, but maintains that plans have been in place to cushion the impact of any withdrawal.
The response follows reports that the Trump administration is preparing to terminate support through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a programme that has been a key contributor to South Africa’s HIV response for more than two decades.
While the department could not confirm the reports, it said it began preparing for reduced US support after foreign assistance was frozen and several USAID grants were cancelled in January 2025.
“The Department of Health has not received a formal correspondence from the US Government, directly or indirectly, regarding what has been published in the media recently on the wind down of PEPFAR funding in South Africa,” the department said on Saturday.
“However, this did not come as a surprise because the Department has long been working on a self-reliance plan since the initial freeze on foreign assistance and a cancellation of USAID grants in January 2025, to minimize the impact of President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief withdrawal.”
The department stressed that the country’s supply of antiretroviral (ARVs) medicines would remain secure because treatment is primarily funded by the South African government.
“There is no doubt that PEPFAR was a big contributor to our HIV programme, but not to the provision of life-saving Antiretrovirals because we procure 90% of ARVs from government fiscus, supported by 10% from the Global Fund.”
According to the department, PEPFAR’s support was concentrated in 27 HIV/AIDS high-burden districts across eight provinces, with the Northern Cape not among the beneficiary provinces.
The department also said patients affected by the closure of PEPFAR-funded clinics had already been integrated into the public health system.
“When the PEPFAR funded clinics were closed, the Department removed their files of these clients from those clinics to the nearest public facilities to ensure the affected patients continue with their treatment journey at the public health facilities.”
The issue of HIV funding is expected to feature at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS on Monday and Tuesday, where Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will participate in discussions on the future of global HIV/AIDS financing.
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