President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns over the future of HIV treatment for millions of people in South Africa following the suspension of United States support under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Addressing delegates at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Mr Mahama said about 1.4 million South Africans living with HIV are now uncertain about the continuity of their treatment due to the halt in support.
“In South Africa, the abrupt withdrawal of PEPFAR has shut clinics, terminated gender-based violence programmes, and left 1.4 million people living with HIV uncertain about their treatment continuity,” he told the Assembly.
“We were told that by 2030, 9 million preventable deaths could occur due to these shifts,” he added.
He warned that the reduction in international health funding was creating serious challenges for African countries that continue to rely heavily on external assistance for critical healthcare programmes.
“It is estimated that the direct consequences of this aid suspension could push about 5.7 million Africans into poverty by the end of 2026.”
The President noted that the situation in South Africa reflects the broader vulnerability of health systems across the continent amid declining global health assistance.
Mr Mahama has been advocating greater health sovereignty for countries in the Global South, urging African nations to strengthen domestic healthcare financing and reduce dependence on foreign aid.
READ ALSO: Mahama calls for African ‘health sovereignty’ as global aid declines
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