Summary
The US had provided aid to help combat HIV/AIDS in South Africa, but funding cuts under President Trump's administration have disrupted this support. This has affected many HIV-positive individuals who relied on clinics supported by USAID, risking setbacks in the progress made against the disease.
Key Facts
- The US provided aid through USAID to support clinics in South Africa, helping HIV-positive patients.
- President Trump's administration cut foreign aid funding earlier this year.
- Many clinics funded by USAID closed due to these cuts, affecting access to antiretroviral medication.
- Patients like Gugu, a former sex worker, now face uncertainty about their medication supply.
- Gugu managed to get a nine-month supply of her medicine before her clinic shut down.
- Public hospitals in South Africa can have long waiting times, discouraging access for patients.
- The UN reported progress in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths before the funding cuts.
- Cuts in funding risk losing the progress made, with potential increases in new HIV infections and deaths globally by 2029.
