Effects of Trump administration's move to freeze HIV/Aids funding already being felt in SA, says health advocate
Bhekisisa editor, Mia Malan, said that the effects of this decision were already being felt.
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CAPE TOWN - Health advocates have warned that the Trump administration's funding freeze for HIV/Aids organisations in South Africa has devastating consequences.
Bhekisisa editor, Mia Malan, said that the effects of this decision were already being felt.
"For instance, in Cape Town, we have seen the Green Point Clinic of Hanover Health Institute, known as the Ivan Toms Clinic for Men, has closed down, we’ve seen transgender clinics from the Wits Reproductive Health Institute in Hillbrow closing down."
Malan said that the lack of access to life-saving medication makes patients more vulnerable.
"Mainly, clinics dealing with men and transgender people have so far closed down in South Africa. That means that those people can't go and get their treatment, people can't get testing that they normally get and science shows us that if you interrupt your HIV treatment, if you have HIV, your immune system becomes weaker again and you are very vulnerable to falling ill with illnesses."