Amid growing concern over the fate of 8,000 health workers recently left unemployed by the US funding health cuts, health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has confirmed that no concrete plan currently exists to address their situation.
On Thursday Motsoaledi provided an update on the progress made to mitigate the effects of funding withdrawal by US government on the country`s HIV/Aids and TB programme.
He said about 271,606 people were employed in HIV programmes daily, with 15,539 of them funded by Pepfar. However, 8,000 of these workers have since lost their jobs.
Motsoaledi admitted the government is still scrambling to secure funding and support, with no commitments yet secured beyond one limited contribution.
“You said, what is the plan for the 8,000 people who have lost their jobs? I wish we had a plan at the present moment. All we can do is present our plans to funders,” he said.
“I've given you a long list of funders we have met. There's not a single one who said we want to help. There's not a single one who came to the party — either private funders or governments around the world. There's not a single one at the moment.”
The only confirmed financial support so far has come from the Global Fund, which has pledged R1bn. However, Motsoaledi clarified that this funding is strictly earmarked for antiretroviral (ARV) treatments and cannot be used to sustain jobs or other essential health services.
“I’m not going to stand here and claim that we’ve got any plan for the 8,000 people, beyond just speaking to potential funders and to our own Treasury, which still has not responded,” he said.
Motsoaledi said it is inconceivable that the withdrawal of R7.9bn by US President Donald Trump would immediately lead to the collapse of the entire HIV/Aids programme, given that the country spends R46.8bn on the initiative.
Pepfar supports the department in 27 out of 52 HIV/Aids districts, he said. Within these 27 districts there are 2,772 public health-care facilities, including 12 specialised clinics that operate independently from the government and are managed by non-governmental organisations.
These clinics primarily provide services to key populations such as transgender individuals and sex workers. The total number of patients served by these 12 specialised clinics is 63,322, with 41,996 of them located in the City of Johannesburg, he said.
“We must accept that Trump has taken away what belongs to his country. We must accept that this has left many people distraught, distressed and even perhaps fearful.”
TimesLIVE
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