South Africa’s HIV Response One Year After US Aid Cuts (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Now it's been one year since the United States announced a sweeping cuts to its foreign aid program And one of the major casualties was South Africa, particularly its HIV and AIDS programs The country's health minister told the BBC at the time that it was a wake-up call Now the BBC has spoken to him again as well as other experts to find out how South Africa has fared and why it's so important for the rest of the world.

[00:00:26] Speaker 2: The BBC's Africa correspondent Mayene Jones sent this report from Cape Town Heading deep into Cape Town's infamous Cape Flats These are some of the most dangerous and disadvantaged townships in South Africa The area has high rates of HIV particularly among young people and women and many don't want to become another statistic In this mobile medical center run by the Desmond Tutu Foundation They can receive preventative medicines like PrEP.

[00:01:02] Speaker 3: It means they don't have to go to government-funded clinics It's very important for young people because when you go to the clinics you get People that are your mother's age so you can open up to them So yeah You get young people like same as your age so you can open up and tell them anything even them like The way they speak to us.

[00:01:24] Speaker 2: It's very light Young people like I said to rely on mobile clinics They often reach some of South Africa's most vulnerable populations And that's why scientists are concerned that aid cuts could lead to a surge in new infections here Contribution that South Africa's made.

[00:01:40] Speaker 4: Leading researchers see the impact of the US funding cuts still being felt here South Africa continues to be largely cut off I often say to people in order to end the epidemic for the world We really do need to end the epidemic in South Africa If we do not contain it close it down shut it down.

[00:02:03] Speaker 2: We stand the huge risk of it continuing for decades South Africa's HIV research industry has benefited immensely from American funding It's a global leader in the field the government says it's time to move on from American reliance You are aware that the US has moved.

[00:02:22] Speaker 5: There's no chance of them going back They have adopted a new policy called America first global health policy, which I believe frankly speaking No nation on earth That respect itself should accede to The government is expected to announce more funding for the fight against HIV in its incoming budget It's also working with other donors to fill the gap left by the US For communities here and across South Africa the stakes couldn't be higher Manny Jones BBC News Cape Town