US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to suspend foreign aid for 90 days. This has brought shockwaves to aid organisations worldwide as it puts millions of lives at risk, particularly in South Africa. Various vital health programmes are now frozen, leaving recipients uncertain about their access to life-saving HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria treatments.
Essential health treatments stopped
On his first day in office, President Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid while his administration reviews such programmes. Contractors and partners who work with the agency received orders to stop work immediately, according to a memo reviewed by Reuters. The suspension of foreign aid cuts off the supply of essential HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria treatments to some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. South Africa is one of them. Markedly, South Africa struggles with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. Therefore, this situation is particularly threatening for the country.
Will South Africa’s health organisations shut down?
At least four South African health organisations serving thousands of HIV/AIDS patients with the help of US-funded programmes are preparing to shut down operations, according to The Africa Report. A fifth organisation has paused all programmes and is seeking legal advice, highlighting the immediate impact of Trump’s executive order.
Is PEPFAR affected?
The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) is among the affected programmes. South Africa is one of the many developing countries around the world which receives aid through this programme. It is a lifeline for millions of people in South Africa. With PEPFAR now frozen, millions who depend on these life-saving medications are at risk of losing access to their treatment.
A number of the country’s clinics have already started rolling back their operations in anticipation of Trump suspending foreign aid.
Speaking at an African National Congress media briefing, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said that his department has started collating data on the affected institutions.
‘We are running the world’s biggest HIV counselling and testing campaign and at least 5.5 million people are on ARVs and no other country comes close to that. The total amount spent on this campaign is R44.4 billion and PEPFAR contributes 17%,’ he said.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi comment on U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend foreign aid, which cut off the supply of essential treatments for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria to some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, including South Africa. pic.twitter.com/ABVeyExpnn
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