The United Nations agency responsible for combating HIV/AIDS has cautioned that the United States’ decision to end financial support for South Africa’s HIV programmes could have severe consequences, including preventable deaths among vulnerable communities.
Speaking ahead of a UN gathering on the epidemic, UNAids Executive Director Winnie Byanyima urged Washington to reconsider its stance and adopt a gradual handover process rather than an abrupt termination of assistance.
“Removing these resources means putting lives at risk,” Byanyima told journalists, stressing that a carefully managed transition would help protect millions who depend on prevention and support services.
Although South Africa finances its own antiretroviral treatment programme, American contributions have played a crucial role in education, testing, outreach and prevention initiatives aimed at limiting new infections.
US authorities indicated that the move is partly linked to concerns over Pretoria’s handling of issues affecting the white Afrikaner minority.
South African officials have strongly rejected those allegations.
Responding to reports of the funding reduction, South Africa’s Health Ministry said it had not received formal notification but noted that plans to strengthen domestic financing and reduce external dependence had already been under development.
Before the policy change, the United States provided roughly $400 million annually through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a programme that supported key elements of the country’s HIV response.
Byanyima warned that the loss of those resources could undermine decades of progress achieved in tackling the disease.
South Africa remains home to more than eight million people living with HIV, the largest number recorded in any nation.
She emphasized that international donors have a responsibility to safeguard those affected by the virus, adding that reductions in development assistance from multiple countries are placing additional strain on global health efforts.
The UNAids chief described the American decision as disappointing, noting that the US has historically been the leading contributor to worldwide HIV programmes.
According to UNAids estimates, PEPFAR accounted for approximately 17% of South Africa’s HIV-response budget.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated since President Donald Trump returned to office.
Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order accusing South Africa of implementing policies that discriminate against certain groups and contribute to violence against white landowners.
The South African government disputes those claims, arguing that its Black Economic Empowerment measures are designed to address longstanding economic disparities created during the apartheid era.
Trump has also repeated assertions of a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa, a claim that has been widely rejected by experts and fact-checkers.
Last week, the US State Department confirmed that a phased reduction of PEPFAR assistance would begin, citing what it described as insufficient progress by South Africa in meeting policy expectations set by the administration.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong