Published: 20 May  2025

Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has assured South Africans that the country’s HIV/Aids programme is not collapsing despite the recent withdrawal of funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Speaking at a press briefing in Pretoria, the Minister acknowledged the pressure caused by the loss of Pepfar’s R7.9-billion contribution, which supported vital services in 27 high-burden districts and funded thousands of frontline health workers.

He also confirmed that care for over 63,000 patients previously supported by Pepfar has been transitioned to public health facilities.

In response to concerns, the Department of Health has launched several initiatives, including training programmes for healthcare workers, patient tracking systems, and ongoing discussions with global funders. Though no new donor commitments have materialised yet, the Global Fund has pledged an additional R1-billion to support antiretroviral drug procurement.

Motsoaledi highlighted the government’s “Close the Gap” campaign, which aims to reach over a million people living with HIV who are not yet on treatment. So far, more than 520,000 individuals have been identified and started on treatment through redirected government funding and civil society mobilisation.

Acknowledging the challenges, Motsoaledi pushed back on claims that the entire programme is failing, asserting that the fight against HIV remains active in communities and clinics across the country. “The situation is serious,” he said, “but not hopeless. The work continues.”.