Almost a year after one of the most far-reaching executive orders in history was signed into law by US President Donald Trump, News24 looks at how South Africans have had to adapt to the withdrawal of US aid to foreign countries.
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar, was a major programme which came to a sudden stop, to the shock of many in developing countries.
The programme, which was launched in 2003, provided billions of dollars annually for the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.
It was previously reported that, of the 270 000 people working on HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections in 27 “high burden” districts in South Africa, just over 15 000 were funded by Pepfar.
It supported the Department of Health in eight provinces and included 2 772 public health facilities. It also funded 12 specialised clinics managed by NGOs.
The abrupt halt in funding led to the closure of clinics and a “significant reduction” in services such as HIV testing, care and treatment in South Africa.
In “Severing a lifeline”, we speak to several South Africans about how this sudden change affected their situation and how they plan the future without it.
These are their stories:
