The Department of Health says it will embark on a consultative process this week with various organisations affected by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding cuts. This follows the US government’s decision to freeze and cut donor funding for HIV/AIDS and TB response programmes.

Last week, Pepfar-funded HIV organisations, which receive their funds through USAID, received letters stating that their grants had been permanently ended. USAID funds 44 health projects in South Africa and this order, implemented by the US government, terminates grant funding to 5,800 USAID-funded projects worldwide.

According to the health department, this consultation process was initiated in order to receive first-hand information and to understand the extent of the impact of the funding cut. This will in turn help the department make informed decisions on the proper interventions that should be implemented by the government.

In a statement, the department said it values the contribution made by these organisations in the country’s response to HIV/AIDS and TB and remains committed to working with them to develop short-medium to long-term interventions.

The department has however urged all people living with HIV who were receiving their life-saving HIV treatment from the sites and centres funded by the US government through USAID and PEPFAR to continue their treatment journey at their nearest public health facilities.

In the meantime, South Africans are also urged to go for regular health screening and testing in order to know their health status, and prevention measures to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The department says it has already communicated with provinces to make necessary preparations and adjustments to accommodate new patients in the treatment programmes in accordance with relevant standard operating guidelines.

Last week, many organisation leaders and health activists spoke out following the termination of funds overnight, with some labelling this as war on the right to global health.

“The Trump administration has declared war on the right to health globally. The South African government must take this as an opportunity to expedite universal access to healthcare and meet its obligations to our people,” said Yvette Raphael, co-founder and co-director, of Advocacy for Prevention of HIV and Aids (APHA)

READ MORE: Trump officially terminates HIV funding to South Africa