Deputy President Paul Mashatile appeared before the National Assembly to apprise the members on government efforts to find sufficient resources to sustain the health programmes in South Africa, particularly those focusing on HIV and TB. The Deputy President chairs the highest national body advising government on HIV, TB, and STIs response, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).
Image: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS
Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Thursday outlined the various resources from other quarters being mobilised to plug the gap caused by the withdrawal of President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding.
Responding to questions during the question session in the National Assembly, Mashatile assured parliamentarians that the government was currently taking measures to prevent the negative effects that could result from the withdrawal of US funding.
He noted that UNAIDS and other partners have indicated the funding withdrawal without adequate replacement could lead to significant increase in HIV-related deaths and new infections over the next decade.
“The abrupt withdrawal of the funding has resulted already in job losses and a negative impact on the national response to HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections.”
Mashatile said Science, Technology and Innovation minister Blade Nzimande has announced the establishment of a working group on science, technology and innovation funding to advise him on the implication and the impact of the recent withdrawal of funding, particularly on key research and development programmes in the country.
“The working group will examine risk-mitigating considerations related to external funding, particularly of research and development programmes in critical areas of national systems and innovation," said Mashatile.
He also said the government through the national and provincial departments of Health has contingency plans to address the gaps resulting from the funding withdrawal to sustain delivery of health services.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was engaging with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to discuss the possibility of the funding gap from the government’s fiscus with teams from the departments already in talks to discuss funding options.
“The Department of Health and the National Treasury, working with provincial departments are assessing the level of need in relation to the programmes to in each of the 27 priority districts that were supported by Pepfar. This is with a view of rationalising and consolidating implementing partners and integrating some of the programmes into primary health care and district health systems.”
Mashatile added that the South African National Aids Council has approached the national Lottery Commission (NLC) and the private sector to garner further funding.
“The NLC has submitted a funding application which is considered by discretionary emerging funding. We are hopeful all these resources mobilisation efforts will yield positive results as we can’t afford to have service delivery gaps in relation to health programmes, particularly those focusing on HIV and TB.
“We will continue with our efforts to find sufficient resources to sustain health programmes, including engaging other countries not only to assist us in funding but looking at affordable drugs,” said Mashatile.
He highlighted that the foreign funding from Pepfar amounted to R8 billion and made assurances that HIV, Aids and TB programmes were fully funded in this financial year.
“We are going to ensure that we try to be self sufficient as country on these matters.”
He noted some of the Pepfar funding was used to pay for salaries and Motsoaledi will be engaged if government cannot employ as many people who lost employment due to the funding withdrawal.
“I am confident that we will find a solution.”
Mashatile added they will talk to other countries in Europe, the East and EU whether they could not get assistance, especially in relation to affordable drugs.
“The decision by the US administration to cut funding must be something that really propels us to take urgent efforts to be self-reliant not only as South Africa but as a continent as a whole,” he said.
Cape Times
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