Abstract

BROTHERTON, M. The cautionary tale of USAID cuts: Resources for HIV treatment and prevention programmes. SAJBL [online]. 2025, vol.18, n.1, pp.3-6. ISSN 1999-7639.  https://doi.org/10.7196/SAJBL.2025.v18i1.3321.

The recent United States Agency for International Development (USAID) cuts have affected South Africa (SA)'s HIV prevention and treatment programmes. The consequences of these cuts affect the lives of millions of people, given the reliance on this foreign aid to supplement government resources for the provision of HIV treatment. The cuts are the result of a changing geopolitical landscape, in which diplomatic relations can be considered unstable. This article contends that the constitutional obligation to realise socioeconomic rights within 'available resources' should therefore not necessarily be interpreted as including foreign aid. Given current global politics and the fragility of diplomatic relations, such an interpretation is arguably unreasonable. SA should seek to ensure that its HIV treatment and prevention programmes are self-sufficient, so that provision of treatment for HIV can be consistent and reliable, and lives are not lost due to disruptions in treatment resulting from diplomatic relations.

Keywords : HIV; antiretrovirals; USAID; reasonableness; available resources; socioeconomic rights.

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