UMkhonto Wesizwe Party has raised concerns about the lives of South Africans who depend on ARS to live their healthy normal life, this follows after the US President Donald Trump decision to stop funding health-care programmers in South Africa. MKP says it is a devastating impact of the withdrawal of PEPFAR funding by the US Administration under Trump.
In the recent statement realised by the MKP, they said this decision will have catastrophic consequences for millions of South Africans who depend on life-saving medication. According to the MKP amongst many others, the withdrawal will result in the following devastating consequences, stating that firstly, over 4.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa will be affected, with many facing the possibility of being cut off from their medication. Furthermore the MKP claim that, following this, thousands of workers that have been the backbone of the PEPFAR program through providing vital support to those affected by the pandemic, will lose their jobs, exacerbating the already dire unemployment crisis in the country. The loss of funding will also compromise the entire healthcare system, putting the lives of millions of people at risk.
The statement further said this will also roll back a grant program launched during the leadership of President Jacob Zuma on HIV/AIDS that saved millions of people. The Party demands that, the Department of Treasury must take the nation into confidence and make the necessary funding available to save lives. “Failing which, this government must make a way for the government-in-waiting, MK Party, to effect change. We cannot prioritize money over human life, the situation requires emergency attention, and we demand immediate action from Ramaphosa’s DA-led, so-called “Government of National Unity” (“GNU”), said in the statement.
The Party also demand the immediate implementation of the long-awaited establishment of a state pharmaceutical company. “This company should be the cornerstone of sustaining healthcare and research on indigenous medicine, which has taken a backseat,” said MKP.
In conclusion uMkhonto Wesizwe calls on the Speaker of the National Assembly to convene an urgent debate on this matter. “The nation deserves to know what measures the government will take to address this crisis, we demand that the Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance provide a comprehensive plan to the National Assembly on how they intend to mitigate the effects of the withdrawal of PEPFAR funding,” said in the statement.
