The South Sudan HIV/AIDS Commission and Network of AIDS and Health Service Organizations of South Sudan (NASOSS), on Tuesday, called on the government to provide funding for HIV/AIDS programs as the United States suspended funding.
Speaking at a joint press conference at the HIV/AIDS Commission premises in the Jebel neighbourhood of Juba, Peter Garang Ngor, the Executive Director of Network of AIDS and Health Service Organization of South Sudan, said they acknowledge that immediately after the order of the U.S State Department issued a limited waiver on lifesaving intervention which include HIV care and treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the limited waiver allowed parts of South Sudan that are supported through the PEPFAR Grant continue with the provision of care and treatment services which does not cover all the programs.
He said HIV community programs that are critical enablers to HIV care and treatment fell outside the life-saving criteria, including the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) AND OVC (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) programs important in enhancing HIV health outcomes for children, adolescents, and vulnerable families to reduce HIV infection among Adolescent girls and young women as well as social-economic skills and educational opportunities to orphans and vulnerable children.
The other affected programs are the comprehensive HIV prevention programs to Key Populations, LIFT UP project design to increase demand for HIV testing, care and treatment adherence among children under 15 years living with HIV, targeted awareness raising and reduction of stigma and discrimination and Community-Led Monitoring that was implemented in 22 facilities, an approach that empowers.
“The stoppage of these community interventions designed to serve over 38,000 beneficiaries, both people living with HIV and priority populations happened at the time we were advocating for a considerate scale-up to many parts of the country posed a risk of increased HIV transmission among adolescent girls and young women, key and priority populations,” he explained. “Interruption in treatment reduced demand for HIV services, limited HIV awareness, increased vulnerability among orphans and vulnerable children, and school dropouts in areas where these interventions were implemented.”
“Occasionally, since then, our phone conversations with support groups and people living with HIV indicated a worrying outcome of interruption in treatment with individuals being bedridden, loss of lives, and many left in a dilemma,” Garang added, and asked what is next?
He said some sufferers now irregularly take their drugs due to the fear of running out. He insisted that the government establish and implement alternative funding mechanisms to ensure continuity of HIV care and treatment synergies.
For her part, Dr. Esterina Novello, Chairperson of the South Sudan HIV/AIDS Commission, said when President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, freezing all new government spending on foreign aid for 90 days, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including PEPFAR, shut down its operations overnight.
She said the abrupt U.S. decision interrupted essential health service delivery in all facilities run by PEPFAR in the country and that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child healthcare programs suffered instantly.
“The health work force supported by PEPFAR stopped coming to the facilities, and the few functioning treatment sites under government/Global Fund support were overwhelmed by clients, resulting in a shortage and stock out of some lifesaving medications,” she explained. “Hence, the entire performance and indicators on various interventions, HTS, PMTCT, and community/social livelihood activities were affected, as well as an increase in loss to follow up and misconceptions. Currently, we do not have a specific policy or strategy put in place that recommends how AIDS financing is to be undertaken and what sustainable funding can be predicted to ensure adequate finances and other resources for the national AIDS response in the country.”
“It is time for us as a government to take responsibility for the health of our people as enshrined in our constitution and find innovative ways of diversifying in-country resource mobilization, including the private sector for sustainability and to direct resources towards high-impact interventions that maximize benefits,” Dr. Novello added.