Health Department says it has prepared for potential PEPFAR withdrawal

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