Trump’s order doesn’t halt crucial HIV/AIDS relief

The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) is not affected by US President Donald Trump’s executive order on “egregious actions of the Republic of South Africa”.

While the department of health was yesterday guarded in its response to the US embassy’s memorandum, nongovernmental organisations and a government agency, have welcomed the move.

In its latest memo on Pepfar, the US embassy in Pretoria said Section B of the executive order, granted the head of each American implementing agency a discretion on the provision of foreign aid or assistance.

Executive order grants head of agency discretion on aid assistance

Pepfar implementing agencies – Peace Corps, Centre for Disease Control, United States Agency for International Development and department of state – are currently reviewing which activities fall under the limited waiver.

Trump’s executive order to halt foreign aid to SA, has triggered fears of an end to the more than R140 billion donor fund to the country’s HIV/Aids programmes.

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The US embassy said it had full permission to restart Pepfar under conditions of the limited humanitarian waiver, granted last month by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

While not all Pepfar activities would resume, life-saving HIV care and treatment of opportunistic infections like tuberculosis, would be given a priority.

“Only those activities falling under the limited waiver may resume. Our teams are working as fast as we can to prepare the administrative documentation needed, to resume activities covered under the limited waiver,” said the embassy.

People living with HIV/Aids welcome Pepfar waiver

People Living with HIV leader Thandi Maluka said: “As women living with HIV, the organisation welcomes the Pepfar waiver, because we were worried about the interruption to the HIV treatment.”

SA National Aids Council men’s sector coordinator Prof Mbulelo Dyasi described Pepfar as “an invaluable asset – not just in South Africa, but globally”.

ALSO READ: US funding freeze on HIV-Aids partially lifted for SA

“South Africa has endured a tragic history marked by the loss of countless lives due to Aids-related conditions,” he said.

Department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale said government had “open lines of communication with US embassy”.

“We believe the final decision will take into consideration the livelihoods of hard-working and committed staff, who have been providing support in the country’s response to HIV/Aids,” said Mohale.