Government's proactive measures in response to Pepfar funding cuts

Resources have been mobilised to plug the gap caused by the withdrawal of the US president’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding.

This is according to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, while responding to questions in the National Assembly.

Mashatile said the government was taking measures to prevent the negative impact of the withdrawal of the US funding.

He noted that the UNAid and other partners have indicated the funding withdrawal without adequate replacement could lead to a significant increase in HIV-related deaths and new infections over the next decade.

“The abrupt withdrawal of the funding has resulted already in job losses and a negative impact on the national response to HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections.”

Mashatile said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande has announced the establishment of a working group on science, technology and innovation funding to advise him on the implications and impact of the recent withdrawal of funding particularly on key research and development programmes in the country.

“The working group will examine risk-mitigating considerations related to external funding, particularly of research and development programmes in critical areas of national systems and innovation," said Mashatile. 

He also said the government through the national and provincial departments of Health has contingency plans to address the gaps resulting from the funding withdrawal to sustain delivery of health service.

Since Pepfar’s inception in 2003, the US government invested over $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, saving over 25 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and supporting several countries to achieve HIV epidemic control, all while significantly strengthening global health and economic security.

In February 2025, Pepfar-funded HIV organisations receiving grants from the US Agency for International Development, USAID, received letters alerting them that their grants have been terminated.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was engaging with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to discuss the possibility of the funding gap from the government’s fiscus with teams from the departments already in talks to discuss funding options.

“The Department of Health and the National Treasury, working with provincial departments are assessing the level of need in relation to the programmes to in each of the 27 priority districts that were supported by Pepfar.

"This is with a view of rationalising and consolidating implementing partners and integrating some of the programmes into primary health care and district health systems.”

Mashatile added that the South African National Aids Council has approached the national Lottery Commission (NLC) and the private sector to garner further funding.

“We are hopeful all these resources mobilisation efforts will yield positive results as we can’t afford to have service delivery gaps in relation to health programmes, particularly those focusing on HIV and TB.

“We will continue with our efforts to find sufficient resources to sustain health programmes, including engaging other countries not only to assist us in funding but looking at affordable drugs,” said Mashatile. 

Mashatile highlighted that the foreign funding from Pepfar amounted to R8 billion and made assurances that HIV, Aids and TB programmes were fully funded in this financial year.

“We are going to ensure that we try to be self sufficient as a country on these matters.”

Cape Argus