The United States has announced plans to phase out funding for HIV and Aids programmes in South Africa, a move that could have major implications for one of the world’s largest HIV treatment efforts.
South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV globally, with more than eight million affected. For years, the country has received significant support from the US through the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), which previously contributed about $400 million annually to HIV-related programmes.
The decision comes amid worsening diplomatic relations between Washington and Pretoria. US officials linked the funding withdrawal to what they described as South Africa’s failure to respond to policy concerns raised by the American government, including allegations involving the treatment of the white Afrikaner minority. South Africa has repeatedly rejected those claims.
Although the South African government said it had not received formal notice of the latest decision, the health ministry stated that preparations for reduced foreign support have been underway through a self-reliance strategy.
Officials also stressed that the country’s supply of life-saving antiretroviral drugs is largely funded by the South African government and would not be directly affected by the US move.
The planned withdrawal marks another setback in relations between both countries, which have been strained in recent years over domestic policy disputes and foreign policy disagreements.
