Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the US’ move to temporarily cease its funding of HIV and AIDS prorgrammes around the world, under the new Trump administration, will have a limited impact on South Africa’s fight against the disease.
Motsoaledi was speaking to journalists at the Cabinet Lekgotla in Pretoria. He says the South African government, together with a small portion of funds from the Global Fund, finances the bulk of prevention and care programmes.
The minister says his department is requesting the Treasury to cover a 17% shortfall in funding from the withdrawal of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding which has been running in South Africa and other developing countries since 2003.
“We have an army of 271,606 people in the 27 districts fighting HIV and AIDS. 256,452 are funded by us as South Africa through our own fiscus. That leaves us with 15,145 people … those are the ones that will be affected by any withdrawal … So, our biggest problem will be the salaries and the operation costs of those people I have just mentioned,” explains Motsoaledi.
Seven point eight million South Africans live with HIV, and 5.5 million are on ARV’s. The South African government has also pleaded with citizens not to stop taking ARV’s as that would be devastating.
The Cabinet Lekgotla underway in Pretoria is also seized with trying to find solutions to the closure of ArcelorMittal SA’s plants at Newcastle and Vereeniging. The Ministers of Finance, and Trade and Industry, will brief the gathering on the interventions being made to try and avert a jobs blood bath.
Issues pertaining to water provision and the fight against HIV & AIDS are also taking centre stage at the meeting. The South African economy is not performing as desired by the government.
Poverty, inequality and underdevelopment are still plaguing many South Africans.
Steel manufacturing giant, ArcelorMittal has announced the closure of its operations in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal and Vereeniging in Gauteng.
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Trade and Industry minister Parks Tau have been called upon to seek a solution to the issue, with thousands of jobs currently at risk.
“The Minister of Finance, as well as Trade and Industry met with ArcelorMittal CEO in Davos. We are engaging on the issue, and the Minister of Trade and Industry will continue meeting the relevant bodies in order to find a solution,” says Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister in the Presidency.
Video: Cabinet Lekgotla – PEPFAR was contributing 17% towards combating HIV/Aids in SA: Motsoaledi
America’s aid covers R4.8 billion of the operational costs and salaries of those employed by the department of health to fight this scourge.
Minister Motsoaledi has reached out to the American embassy to find out what their final position is on the matter. Samkele Maseko
