South Africa does not plan to replace US HIV funds yet, minister says

FILE PHOTO: A nurse draws a blood sample from a child for an HIV test at a clinic in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

PRETORIA (Reuters) -South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday that the government had not secured any new funding yet for HIV after the U.S. cut aid, and denied reports that its HIV programme was badly affected.

The United States' global HIV initiative, PEPFAR, was paying for about 17% of South Africa's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid shortly after taking office.