Trump orders immediate end to USAID funding for HIV organisations in SA

By Mia Malan, JOHANNESBURG South Africa

Pepfar-funded HIV organisations in South Africa, who receive their funds through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, woke up to letters that were sent overnight telling them their grants have been ended - permanently.

Pepfar, the President's Emergency Plan for Aids, is a fund that was launched in 2003 to help fight Aids in countries with high HIV infection rates such as South Africa. 

The country has since received around $8 billion (about R145 billion) of which $439 537 828 (about R8.1 billion) was for the current US financial year, which stretches from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.

USAID-funded district health projects, supported outside of Pepfar, but with other US government funds administered by USAID, have also been instructed to close down. 

The Anova Health Institute, the organisation in South Africa which receives the most Pepfar funding, lost all its funding, a senior Anova Health Institute official confirmed to Bhekisisa. Anova helped to test people for HIV and make treatment available in under-staffed government clinics. 

TB programmes funded through USAID also report having received such letters. 

Letters were also sent to partners of the Accelerating Programme Achievements to Control the Epidemic (Apace), which include large nonprofits such as the Wits Reproductive Health Institute, Broadreach Healthcare and Right to Care.

The Apace projects conducted HIV testing, got people who tested positive onto treatment, got HIV-negative people who needed it onto preventive anti-HIV pills, increased children's access to HIV treatment and also tested and treated people for tuberculosis (TB), the most common illness that people with HIV get when not on treatment. 

It's not confirmed if all of the USAID-funded organisations received letters, but Bhekisisa has seen confirmation from several projects working on fighting HIV within key populations such as LGBTQI+ groups, and also those working with orphans and vulnerable children, to close down their projects immediately.

South African organisations say they have also had reports from Pepfar-funded projects in Kenya and Malawi saying they had received similar letters.  

Some organisations received emails, with attached letters, which were signed off with "thank you for partnering with USAID and God Bless America".

The letters read as follows: 

Dear Implementing Partner,

This award is being terminated for convenience and the interests of the U.S. Government pursuant to a directive from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his capacity as the Acting Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development ("the Agency" or "USAID") and/or Peter W. Marocco, who is performing the duties and functions of both Deputy Administrators for USAID. 

Secretary Rubio and PTDO Deputy Administrator Marocco have determined your award is not aligned with Agency priorities and made a determination that continuing this program is not in the national interest. The decision to terminate this individual award is a policy determination vested in the Acting Administrator and the person performing the duties and functions of the Deputy Administrator.

I have been delegated authority to issue this termination notice.

Detailed instructions will follow, and a formal modification/amendment to memorialize this action is forthcoming. Immediately cease all activities, terminate all subawards and contracts, and avoid incurring any additional obligations chargeable to the award beyond those unavoidable costs associated with this Termination Notice. Immediately provide similar instructions to all subrecipients and contractors.

Kindly confirm receipt of this Termination Notice via electronic email response to the sender.