President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the United States’ decision to withdraw funding from South Africa as a signal for the country to strengthen its own capabilities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA)’s ninth congress at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, he emphasised that the responsibility for healthcare funding ultimately lies with the South African government, not foreign donors. The three-day conference is set to address several challenges in the healthcare sector, including the impact of US funding cuts.
Since Donald Trump assumed the US presidency in January, his administration has reduced financial aid to multiple countries, resulting in South Africa losing approximately R8 billion in funding for its HIV/AIDS programmes.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that while the decision was within the US government’s rights, it highlighted the need for South Africa to become more self-reliant, despite fiscal constraints. He stressed that the expectation from citizens is for the government to find ways to sustain key healthcare initiatives using local resources.
Discussions on how to address the funding shortfall are ongoing.
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