South Africa's HIV Funding Crisis: Government Faces Backlash

South Africa's Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, declared on Thursday that the government had not yet secured new funding for HIV initiatives following a reduction in U.S. aid, contradicting claims of a severe program impact.

Previously, the U.S. initiative PEPFAR funded 17% of South Africa's HIV budget. However, in the wake of aid reductions under President Trump, the country has seen a drop in viral load testing, indicating strain on its health system, according to reports.

Despite acknowledging certain issues, Motsoaledi stressed that fears of program collapse were unfounded, rejecting what he deemed overly negative media portrayals.

(With inputs from agencies.)