Problems ahead for public health sector

Lusanda Bill
15 July 2010

NGO’s are fearing the worst for the public health sector, this fear comes from international donors preparing to cut their funding.

By 2012 there is a possibility that organisations including UNAIDS, PEPFAR and the Global Forum will slash funding, and this shocking statement was given by Doctors Without Borders.

It has been reported that if the organisations go ahead and cut funding then this will mean bad news for South Africans.

It will mean that up to four million HIV positive South Africans will be left without sufficient access to ARV treatment.

Cosatu President S’dumo Dlamini said “trade federation will use its political clout to make sure local hospitals are ready if the funding cuts lead to the closure of local NGO’s”.

The International Aids Conference which will be held in Austria will begin today. Attending the conference will be Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Public Works Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu.

A statement made by the presidency yesterday stated that “the conference provides South Africa with a platform to demonstrate the importance of sustained investments in HIV in achieving broader national and international health and development goals”.

Let’s hope that the conference will bring a concrete solution to the problems that our country is facing with regards to HIV/AIDS.