Following US President Donald Trump’s decision to cut crucial funding worth millions to SA’s HIV prevention programme this year, the Eastern Cape government has dug deep to provide nearly R100m to close the gap. The suspension led to the loss of critical health sector jobs and the curtailing of essential services. Some workers were attached to NGOs that closed down due to a lack of funds, while others operated from government clinics, mostly in the province’s rural areas.
During the tabling of his mid-term budget speech on Thursday, finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko announced that more than R94m had been allocated as emergency funding to respond to Pepfar’s withdrawal. However, Mvoko said R514.2m of that amount would be allocated to settle accruals and ensure continuity of health services. A total of R108.6m was allocated to employ 429 health professionals, and R107.5m to assist in absorbing 3,971 community health workers.
NPO One to One Africa, affected by Washington’s Pepfar withdrawal, said the funding was crucial for the fight against HIV. The organisation provided critical health services to rural communities, particularly in the OR Tambo district, through its “Enable” programme for maternal and child health, including HIV and TB prevention. One to One Africa head of business development Valerie Govender said the withdrawal of Pepfar funding had placed immense strain on organisations that delivered HIV-prevention services in last-mile rural communities. “Pepfar’s long-standing investment enabled consistent outreach, testing and adherence support in areas where health systems are weakest,” she said.
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