Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the South African government will ensure that South Africans living with HIV/AIDS continue receiving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) despite a temporary withdrawal of foreign aid from the United States (US).
This comes after the US announced a 90-day suspension on Pepfar-funded HIV/AIDS treatment in South Africa and across the continent.
The sudden funding halt has resulted in implementing agencies nationwide suspending critical health support services.
Millions of South Africans are expected to be affected by this move.
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During a media briefing on Wednesday at the Cabinet Lekgotla in Pretoria, Motsoaledi told reporters that the government would ensure the availability of ARVs.
“As the South African government, we want to ascertain that no South African stops taking ARVs. It will be dangerous, as you know what happens when you are on ARVs and you stop,” he said.
He said the health department had approached the treasury to help with the salaries and operational costs of those affected by the US decision.
“They said we must write a dossier and send it to them, which we did,” he said.
Motsoaledi said the South African government had not received official correspondence from the US government about the temporary withdrawal of aid.
He said the government had contacted the US embassy for the latest updates.
“Not the treasury, the department of health, or the department of international relations and corporation (Dirco) have received written communication.”
“We tried contacting the embassy, but we could not get hold of them, so how do we know the current state of affairs?” he asked.
Motsoaledi said the NGOs and clinics funded by Pepfar received letters from the US government.
“This morning, we read that the secretary of state has withdrawn the statements in those letters for now. It was said it will be reviewed in the next 90 days, but it’s fluid regarding where we are going.”
Motsoaledi said the majority of funding for HIV/AIDS programmes came from the South African government and a small percentage from the private sector. The rest came from foreign aid.
“At this stage, we are buying ARVs on our own with only 10% global funding,” he said.
Motsoaledi said the South African government was working hard to make sure that the virus is suppressed in all those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
ALSO READ: U.S. foreign aid pause a blow to South Africa’s HIV/Aids efforts
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