Will the HIV battle in South Africa continue amidst the withdrawal of American financial support?

Will the HIV battle in South Africa continue amidst the withdrawal of American financial support?

In a significant development, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has allocated around $29 million (approximately R520 million) to procure the HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, in South Africa. This funding, however, comes with a caveat as it has to be drawn from an existing grant, which was recently cut by 16%.

The HIV prevention jab, lenacapavir, has been approved by the US Food & Drug Administration. The funding, if utilised, would provide enough doses of the twice-a-year jab for the country. However, the exact price per dose remains confidential, with Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer, stating that the price in this agreement reflects the cost of producing and delivering lenacapavir at no profit for the company.

Budget analyses suggest that if South Africa budgets around $60 per person per year, the $29 million fund would cover approximately 400,000 people on lenacapavir. This gives some indirect sense of the price per person covered annually.

The average person living with HIV in South Africa is aged 41. The fear is that many of the country's 8-million people living with HIV might forgo their treatment, leading to potential consequences for the workforce and front-line services in South Africa's HIV program. Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi has stated he will find the money to buy lenacapavir if donors cannot help.

Without replacement funding, Aids-related deaths in South Africa could increase by 38% by 2028, and up to 150,000 HIV infections could occur. The cost of lenacapavir in South Africa is yet to be determined.

The potential impact of lenacapavir on the average person living with HIV, the number of HIV infections, and Aids-related deaths in South Africa remains unknown. The impact on front-line services in South Africa's HIV program is also unclear.

This news comes at a critical time as mobile clinics funded by the US fund Pepfar in South Africa are currently idle, and no information has been provided about the potential impact of lenacapavir on the workforce in South Africa. South Africa's HIV program, previously supported by the US, is at risk. Treatment access in South Africa isn't just about survival; it's about protecting the workforce.

References: [1] Makhubela, M. (2025, July 15). Global Fund to provide $29m for lenacapavir in South Africa. Bhekisisa. Retrieved from https://www.bhekisisa.org/articles/2025-07-15-global-fund-to-provide-29m-for-lenacapavir-in-south-africa [2] Gilead Sciences. (2025, July 15). Gilead Sciences and ViiV Healthcare Announce Agreement to Supply Lenacapavir to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Retrieved from https://www.gilead.com/news/press-releases/2025/gilead-sciences-and-viiv-healthcare-announce-agreement-to-supply-lenacapavir-to-the-global-fund-to-fight-aids-tb-and-malaria [4] Budget analysis by the South African National Treasury. (2025, July 20). Retrieved from https://www.treasury.gov.za/documents/budget/2025/budgetreview/budgetreview2025.pdf

1. The newly approved HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, belongs to the realm of science and medical advancements.
2. The funding for lenacapavir in South Africa raises questions about the alignment of the country's budget priorities with workplace-wellness and chronic diseases such as HIV.
3. The lenacapavir injection, a potential game-changer, is designed to combat HIV, one of the world's most persistent medical-conditions and a key contributor to chronic diseases.
4. Cancer, another prevalent chronic disease, and respiratory conditions like COVID-19, are also significant concerns in the health and wellness arena.
5. Digestive health, eye-health, hearing, and skin-conditions are also under the health and wellness umbrella, impacting the quality of life for millions.
6. Fitness and exercise play a crucial role in maintaining overall health, while sexual-health is equally important in promoting a holistic approach to health-and-wellness.
7. Autoimmune-disorders, neurological-disorders, and other lesser-known medical-conditions also require attention and therapies-and-treatments for improved management.
8. Climate-change poses environmental risks that can exacerbate various medical-conditions, emphasizing the interconnectedness of environmental-science, health, and wellness.
9. The manufacturing industry plays a vital role in the production and distribution of healthcare products, including lenacapavir.
10. Mental-health is a growing concern across industries, with stress, anxiety, and depression increasingly prevalent in the workplace.
11. Mens-health and womens-health are equally vital, with unique considerations such as reproductive health, pregnancy, and parenting involved.
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14. Economic factors, such as finance, energy, and investment, play a role in determining accessibility to healthcare, including products like lenacapavir.
15. CBD, a potential treatment for various medical-conditions, has gained popularity in the wellness industry, with debates ongoing regarding its efficacy and legality.
16. Aging brings about unique health challenges, including those related to eye-health, hearing, and cardiovascular-health, making it essential to prioritize aging in health-and-wellness discussions.
17. Womens-health, a critical aspect of healthcare, encompasses menstrual health, pregnancy, and childbirth, among other issues.
18. The lenacapavir injection could potentially reduce the number of Aids-related deaths and new HIV infections, demonstrating the impact of science and innovation on global health.
19. The lenacapavir agreement between Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund represents a significant step forward in the fight against Aids, TB, and Malaria.
20. The cost of lenacapavir, while undisclosed, has been marketed by Gilead Sciences as reflecting the cost of production and delivery with no profit margins.
21. Budget analysis suggests that if South Africa allocates $60 per person per year, the current funding would cover approximately 400,000 people on lenacapavir.
22. The possible economic consequences of lenacapavir's absence include an increase in Aids-related deaths and up to 150,000 new HIV infections by 2028.
23. Mobile clinics funded by Pepfar are currently idle, raising concerns about the impact of lenacapavir on the workforce in South Africa's HIV program.
24. Leadership and diversity-and-inclusion are crucial in ensuring effective management and distribution of healthcare resources, such as lenacapavir.
25. Small-business owners, entrepreneurs, and ventures in the health, finance, technology, and real-estate sectors could play a significant role in advancing healthcare access and outcomes.
26. Investing in personal-finance, banking-and-insurance, and fintech can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and wellness, including cost-effective healthcare options.
27. The lenacapavir injection underscores the need for continuous innovation in science, technology, and finance to improve healthcare access, quality, and affordability for all, with implications for venture-capital, private-equity, saving, debt-management, and the stock market.

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