Namibia welcomes US’s change of heart on critical HIV aid
Relief for urgent healthcare initiatives
An emergency humanitarian waiver was issued that provides uninterrupted access to HIV medications funded by the US across 55 countries.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has welcomed the decision on Tuesday by US secretary of state Marco Rubio to approve an “emergency humanitarian waiver”, ensuring that millions of people worldwide, including Namibia, will continue to receive life-saving HIV treatment, even as the US government reviews its foreign aid policies.
Shangula, who told Namibian Sun earlier this week that Namibia will ensure health programmes supported by the US government would continue unabated even if Donald Trump halts that support, believes a unilateral withdrawal of American assistance to health programmes would have devastating consequences globally.
“It [aid withdrawal] was not supposed to take place in the first place. Issues that deal with human lives must always be preserved,” Shangula said yesterday.
“It was probably not thought about and might have been an oversight, and just a realisation that a mistake has been made [and] now that mistake will be rectified. That is a welcome move," he added.
The waiver provides uninterrupted access to HIV medications funded by the US across 55 countries, despite a broader freeze on foreign development assistance under review by the new administration.
Over 20 million people globally – two-thirds of those receiving HIV treatment – depend on the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the world's largest HIV initiative.
Big relief
PEPFAR has contributed over N$20 billion (approximately US$1.1 billion) to Namibia's HIV/Aids programmes since its inception.
In 2022, PEPFAR allocated N$1.7 billion (approximately US$90.25 million) for Namibia's HIV response. The following year, PEPFAR, through USAID, announced an investment of N$840 million (approximately US$45 million) to provide health and social services to vulnerable children, adolescents and youth in Namibia.
"UNAIDS welcomes this critical decision from the US government, which guarantees the continued access to life-saving HIV medication for millions during this review of foreign assistance," said UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima in a statement.
"This waiver underscores the importance of PEPFAR in the global fight against Aids and offers hope to those whose lives depend on consistent HIV treatment."
Rubio defined life-saving humanitarian assistance as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance, supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.
"This waiver does not apply to activities that involve abortions, family planning conferences, administrative costs ... gender or DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) ideology programmes, transgender surgeries, or other non-life-saving assistance," Rubio's memo said.
Domestic budget
Earlier this week, Shangula assured the public that the country's health programmes will continue without disruption if the US were to permanently withdraw its support.
He said government has worked to ensure the sustainability of core health initiatives, many of which are partially funded by PEPFAR and USAID. Shangula emphasised that these programmes are primarily government-led, integrated into the health ministry's core operations, and well-funded through domestic budgets.
"All of our health programmes are integral to the ministry's core activities," Shangula explained. "Since independence, the government has ensured sustainability by budgeting for operational and capital expenses annually. While donor contributions have been valuable, they are supplementary and integrated into our systems."
Shangula, who told Namibian Sun earlier this week that Namibia will ensure health programmes supported by the US government would continue unabated even if Donald Trump halts that support, believes a unilateral withdrawal of American assistance to health programmes would have devastating consequences globally.
“It [aid withdrawal] was not supposed to take place in the first place. Issues that deal with human lives must always be preserved,” Shangula said yesterday.
“It was probably not thought about and might have been an oversight, and just a realisation that a mistake has been made [and] now that mistake will be rectified. That is a welcome move," he added.
The waiver provides uninterrupted access to HIV medications funded by the US across 55 countries, despite a broader freeze on foreign development assistance under review by the new administration.
Over 20 million people globally – two-thirds of those receiving HIV treatment – depend on the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the world's largest HIV initiative.
Big relief
PEPFAR has contributed over N$20 billion (approximately US$1.1 billion) to Namibia's HIV/Aids programmes since its inception.
In 2022, PEPFAR allocated N$1.7 billion (approximately US$90.25 million) for Namibia's HIV response. The following year, PEPFAR, through USAID, announced an investment of N$840 million (approximately US$45 million) to provide health and social services to vulnerable children, adolescents and youth in Namibia.
"UNAIDS welcomes this critical decision from the US government, which guarantees the continued access to life-saving HIV medication for millions during this review of foreign assistance," said UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima in a statement.
"This waiver underscores the importance of PEPFAR in the global fight against Aids and offers hope to those whose lives depend on consistent HIV treatment."
Rubio defined life-saving humanitarian assistance as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance, supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.
"This waiver does not apply to activities that involve abortions, family planning conferences, administrative costs ... gender or DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) ideology programmes, transgender surgeries, or other non-life-saving assistance," Rubio's memo said.
Domestic budget
Earlier this week, Shangula assured the public that the country's health programmes will continue without disruption if the US were to permanently withdraw its support.
He said government has worked to ensure the sustainability of core health initiatives, many of which are partially funded by PEPFAR and USAID. Shangula emphasised that these programmes are primarily government-led, integrated into the health ministry's core operations, and well-funded through domestic budgets.
"All of our health programmes are integral to the ministry's core activities," Shangula explained. "Since independence, the government has ensured sustainability by budgeting for operational and capital expenses annually. While donor contributions have been valuable, they are supplementary and integrated into our systems."
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