UNAids chief Byanyima warns US cut to South Africa's HIV programme could cost lives
UNAids executive director Winnie Byanyima warned that the US decision to cut HIV programme funding in South Africa could cost lives. Pretoria is racing to plug part of the roughly $280 million annual gap from its national budget.
After the Trump administration suspended the roughly $280 million annual PEPFAR transfer to South Africa, Byanyima told reporters in Cape Town "please do not take money away because you are taking lives away." Her remarks came at a joint briefing with the South African health ministry.
South Africa has the world's largest HIV caseload, with about 7.8 million people living with the virus and more than 5.7 million on antiretroviral therapy. Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said an emergency 1.4 billion rand allocation would keep frontline clinics running, though it covers less than half of the gap.
The US State Department described the cut as a "reprioritisation". Pretoria has approached Ankara, Berlin and Tokyo via diplomatic channels to seek donor support. Global Fund representatives have called an emergency session in Geneva.
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