American Health Funds Keep South African Clinics Staffed—But What if They Stop?

U.S. health aid (PEPFAR) pays thousands of South African clinic workers directly. If funding ends, those jobs don't automatically move to provincial budgets. South Africa spends 8–9% of GDP on health but can't easily absorb these costs. With 5.5 million people needing HIV treatment, the gap between what the program promises and what local governments can sustain has grown after twenty years.