The Western Cape Government has secured R590 million in HIV and TB funding in Western Cape, restoring critical health services after donor withdrawals earlier this year left a significant shortfall.
National Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced the allocation during his budget speech. The HIV and TB funding will stabilise key services across South Africa, including in the Western Cape, where a R360 million gap had placed around 10 NGOs and nearly 700 healthcare jobs at risk.
“This allocation is not just a financial lifeline; it is an investment in the health and dignity of our residents,” said Western Cape Minister of Finance Deidré Baartman.
She urged National Treasury to release the HIV and TB funding promptly so that provinces like Western Cape can continue their work without disruption.
Earlier donor cuts affected a range of critical HIV and TB programmes in Western Cape, including mobile X-ray services, community counselling, and adherence support—key to managing these diseases.
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, noted the province had already taken steps to ensure continuity of care.
“We welcome this additional funding to support residents in their health journeys to recover from TB and to manage and prevent HIV,” said Wenger.
How the western cape will use the funding:
- Strengthen services in high-priority areas
- Accelerate digitisation of health records and prescriptions
- Support NGOs delivering frontline care
- Ensure job security for healthcare workers
Donor funding in Western Cape had previously enabled innovations like multi-month prescriptions for stable HIV patients, allowing them to collect medication less frequently. The province also fast-tracked digitisation and redirected resources to community health workers.
“Our goal remains clear: to ensure that residents continue to receive the high-quality HIV and TB care they deserve,” Wenger added.
