JOHANNESBURG - South Africa is being urged to protect the progress it has made in the fight against HIV and Aids.
Without a resilient healthcare sector, research warns progress could be lost.
The warning comes after the United States last year cut global HIV funding, including support through the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR).
CEO of the Endless Life Group, Zohakiy Mbi-Njifor, says progress is real, but the situation is still fragile.
She says South Africa is currently well on track to meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets that are set universally for many countries to reach a real stabilising point for HIV treatment, prevention and care globally.
The targets require that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
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Mbi-Njifor says the withdrawal of PEPFAR funding has exposed the country’s long-standing reliance on external support for HIV, tuberculosis and other community-based primary healthcare services.
According to Mbi-Njifor, the funding cuts offer critical lessons.
She says South Africa must urgently integrate HIV services into the National Health Insurance system.
“We need stronger provincial contracting mechanisms, we need NGO financial resilience, and leaders must manage NGO finances in a way that is resilient and future-focused,” she said.
Mbi-Njifor adds that there is a need for systems to remain resilient to be able to handle shock.
"At this point, our systems for healthcare in the country are still somewhat fragile. Our budgets are often cut. We see that community services are not sustainable without such services in the long term.
"We need to see reforms that address that kind of instability or fragility of the system in the long run," Mbi-Njifor said.