Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has dismissed claims that South Africa’s HIV/AIDS campaign is collapsing following the withdrawal of US funding, asserting that the national programme remains active, robust, and community focused.

Speaking at a press briefing in Pretoria, Motsoaledi acknowledged the impact of the US government’s decision to end its President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) contributions, but said his department has mobilised alternative resources and partnerships to avoid disruption.

“When we started this programme, we needed R5.3 billion. Today, we are spending R46.8 billion, of which R7.9 billion came from PEPFAR,” said Motsoaledi. “While it is unfortunate that these funds are gone, it is inconceivable that this will lead to the collapse of our programme.”

He stressed that HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts were grounded in the country’s villages, townships and public health facilities—not just in donor-funded clinics.

“We’ve moved all 63,322 affected key population clients from PEPFAR-funded clinics into public health facilities. These are not just numbers. These are people with names and addresses. And the work of contacting and supporting them continues,” he said.

PEPFAR previously supported South Africa in 27 of the country’s 52 districts, assisting over 15,000 health workers and funding specialised clinics, particularly for marginalised groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs.

Of those workers, 8061 have lost their jobs, while 7478 remain employed through temporary US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention support.

Despite the staffing setback, the minister emphasised that the overall HIV/AIDS workforce remained strong, with over 263,000 personnel still actively engaged across the country.

To fill the service gap, South Africa has bolstered its collaborations with other international funders like the Global Fund, which is currently supporting 34 facilities and more than 74,000 clients from key populations.

Additionally, the government itself funds several NGOs, including the National LGBTI Health Campaign and Centre for Positive Care, to provide targeted HIV services.

The department’s “Close the Gap” campaign, launched to help the country meet the UN’s 95-95-95 targets (95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed), aims to find and treat 1.1 million known HIV-positive individuals not currently on antiretroviral therapy (ARVs).

Contrary to some media reports alleging a lack of planning and funding for the campaign, Motsoaledi provided detailed evidence including a budget of R659 million reallocated from HIV/AIDS conditional grants.

He said the campaign has already initiated treatment for over 520,000 people and that weekly check-ins with provincial departments have enabled real-time monitoring and problem-solving.

“We know who these 1.1 million people are, where they live, and where they previously accessed services. This is not random. It’s a targeted effort,” he said.

Motsoaledi pushed back against reports suggesting a programme in disarray, particularly regarding ARV initiation rates and viral load testing.

“Yes, we’ve seen declines in some testing metrics, and we’re not claiming everything is fine. But to say the campaign is collapsing is misleading. The fact that we’re conducting weekly meetings and launching sensitisation programs for healthcare workers shows our commitment,” he said.

Over 3300 healthcare workers have been trained in handling key populations with dignity and respect, helping to combat stigma and discrimination, key barriers to effective HIV care.

While South Africa has taken critical steps to fill the void left by PEPFAR’s departure, the broader implications remain concerning, with experts warning that the loss of US support could undermine global progress on HIV/AIDS unless sustainable funding models are secured.

Motsoaledi made a direct appeal to international partners, noting that while discussions were ongoing, no new funders have stepped forward beyond the Global Fund’s contribution for ARVs.

As South Africa navigates the post-PEPFAR era, the minister’s message was clear: the country would not allow two decades of progress in the HIV/AIDS response to unravel.

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A total of 412 new healthcare professionals and support staff have been appointed in the Limpopo province, according to premier Phophi Ramathuba.

This follows Ramathuba’s State of the Province Address earlier this year, which included a commitment to appoint 300 health workers to enhance public healthcare.

She directed the MECs for finance and health to collaborate and prioritise the hiring of health professionals and other critical personnel.

“The cohort we welcome today includes medical and dental officers, professional nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists, diagnostic radiographers, emergency medical services personnel, support staff, quantity surveyors and artisans,” the premier said in Polokwane on Tuesday.

“These are not just job titles. These are vital roles in the mission to deliver quality healthcare to the people of our province.”

Tuesday’s induction was to familiarise personnel with departmental operations while aligning them with the principles of public service.

“We are welcoming you during a time when public trust in healthcare must be reinforced. We are hearing troubling reports, nationally and globally, of medical professionals betraying their oath and participating in unspeakable acts, including sexual assault and misconduct.

“Let me be clear, this government will not tolerate such behaviour. There is no place in our system for those who prey on the vulnerable,’ she said.

She went on to say that healthcare workers were protectors of life, not abusers of trust, and those who violated this sacred contract with society would face dismissal and the full force of the law.

“It gives me immense pride and joy to formally welcome all of you, 412, as healthcare professionals and those who will be healthcare workers to the family of public servants in the province. This is not just a warm reception. It’s a celebration of your triumphs and a call to purpose.

“You are the leaders who will shape tomorrow’s hospitals, clinics and policy reforms. We are not just investing in you, but we are entrusting you with the heartbeat of our people.”

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The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng is calling for a prompt and thorough investigation into the fire that broke out at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital over the weekend.

The party insists that any lapses of failures that may have contributed to the incident be identified and addressed.

It emphasized the need for accountability, saying that patients and healthcare workers deserved answers and assurances that such an event would not happen again.

“[We are] demanding a speedy investigation and consequences for any identified failures that may have contributed to the fire at Tembisa Hospital this weekend,” DA Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said in a statement on Monday.

“We should be very grateful that disaster management services were able to prevent a monstrous tragedy by the speedy evacuation of patients. They should be commended. Unfortunately, there is a history of drawn-out investigation and lack of consequences after previous hospital fires.”

Meanwhile, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko confirmed that the fire at Tembisa hospital has been fully extinguished, with unaffected sections of the facility continuing to operate as usual.

However, the hospital remained on “divert” status, which meant it was not accepting new emergency cases at this time.

Nkomo-Ralehoko stressed that the cause of the fire was still under investigation and the department was awaiting the official forensic report.

“At this moment no one knows the cause of the incident. There are several investigations that are underway by various institutions are required by law and their response mandates,” she added.

According to a recent Gauteng health department report presented to the provincial llegislature, not a single one of Gauteng’s 37 public hospitals is fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with fire hazards posing the greatest concern.

Sixteen hospital scored below 70% compliance due to inadequate fire measures, including missing equipment and signage. Tembisa hospital scored just 72%, the same as Charlotte Maxeke hospital despite its prior fire incident.

“Tembisa hospital has been mismanaged and looted by fishy contracts for years now, and it does not even have a permanent CEO. A top-class CEO is urgently needed to ensure that full services are reinstated, and measures are taken to alleviate the severe overcrowding that will be worsened by the fire,” Bloom added.

Congress of SA Trade Unions has also expressed deep concern over the blaze, urging authorities to prioritise urgent repairs and to ensure that all health facilities comply with occupational health and safety regulations to prevent similar incidents in future.

“Cosatu Gauteng urgently calls on the Department of Health and Department of Labour to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of all health institutions in the province to determine the extent of the occupational health and safety challenges,” said Cosatu provincial chairperson, Aymos Monyela.

“Including the dilapidating infrastructure, prioritise necessary repairs or refurbishment and ensure compliance in terms of health and safety regulations. The staff to patient ratio should also be assessed and measure taken to prioritise it.”

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Zimbabwe’s finance minister expressed concern on Wednesday that a U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization will lead to aid cuts to countries such as his that are most affected by HIV/AIDS.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the U.S. withdrawal after his inauguration to a second term on Monday.

Warning that a U.S. withdrawal could signal cuts in health aid to countries such as Zimbabwe, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said: “Any country with an HIV/AIDS challenge will be impacted.”

“This is a concern, a fear we are expressing,” Ncube told an online briefing from the Swiss resort of Davos, where was attending the World Economic Forum.

Zimbabwe receives over $200 million annually from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the U.S government has given Zimbabwe over $1.7 billion since 2006 to strengthen health systems and support people living with HIV, according the U.S. embassy in Harare.

PEPFAR contributes nearly $90 million a year to support salaries and incentives for healthcare workers in Zimbabwe, in addition to funding HIV and viral load testing, prevention, cervical cancer screening and tuberculosis treatment.

Zimbabwe is struggling to fund its public health system, and the government introduced a sugar tax on beverages last year to help raise funds for cancer treatment. Another tax on fast foods was introduced this year.

“We need to scale up our funding for health. The earmarked taxes should be directed towards health as we build our capacity to fill the gap should any funding recede,” Ncube said.

Reuters

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Gauteng is the most populous province and as result, there are often long queues at its public hospitals and clinics.

In order to speed up waiting times, a queue management system has been launched at the second hospital in the province, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. It serves an estimated population of 2,858,606.

“We are taking a step towards improving patient experience in our healthcare facilities,” Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomuntu Nkomo-Ralehoko said at the launch on Wednesday.

The first hospital to get the Integrated Patient Queue Management System was the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Coronationville in the city.

The MEC said that so far 715 patients had been serviced through the system.

The software is designed to enable hospital staff to monitor and control patient flow to streamline the check-in process and ensure that everyone is served in an orderly manner. It introduces a standard booking system via a user-friendly app that integrates SA ID and passport links.

The token management system, consisting of self-help kiosks, will be installed to manage various queue types, including regular walk-in patients, appointment patients and emergency patients.

This will include the installation of 13 kiosks throughout various departments to facilitate the new queue management system.

“Our hard-working healthcare workers can use the system to automate administrative tasks, thus reducing the workload stress and allow staff to focus more on providing medical care to patients,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.

“We believe that this will lead to increase job satisfaction for our dedicated doctors and nurses.”

She said the system would be introduced to other facilities.

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