U.S. funding cuts have dismantled South Africa’s HIV prevention programmes, undermining efforts to deploy a powerful new drug, a report warned Tuesday.
South Africa carries the world’s heaviest HIV burden, with roughly eight million people living with the virus, representing about one in five adults.
Until last year, Washington funded nearly 17 percent of the country’s HIV budget before aid reductions under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy.
A report by Physicians for Human Rights said years of investment in research systems and healthcare delivery networks have been abruptly abandoned.
The findings suggest billions of dollars in prior funding may now yield diminished returns as vital prevention infrastructure weakens across communities.
At a critical moment, the rollout of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable prevention drug, faces delays and structural obstacles, the report noted.
Emily Bass, a co-author, said the drug offers immense promise but lacks the support programmes needed for effective distribution.
She added that U.S.-funded outreach and peer education initiatives once informed vulnerable groups about prevention options, including new treatments like lenacapavir.
Without those networks, awareness may fade, leaving at-risk populations disconnected from potentially life-saving medical advances and prevention strategies.
Officials from South Africa’s health department and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The report said measuring the full impact remains difficult, as funding cuts also affected data collection and monitoring systems nationwide.
Still, interviews with health workers and community members revealed widespread disruption across clinics and grassroots HIV prevention programmes.
Advocates warn marginalised groups, including LGBTQI communities, sex workers, and young people, are increasingly excluded from essential services.
Recent U.S. data indicated global HIV aid levels were maintained, yet showed declines in testing rates and new diagnoses worldwide.