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A nurse hands out a red ribbon to a woman, to mark World Aids Day.
Non-profit organisation Inyathelo has raised concerns about the sustainability of South Africa’s healthcare sector.
The warning comes as the country marks World Health Day alongside the global community.
The organisation says international funding cuts, including reductions from USAID, have created a gap in HIV/AIDS and TB programmes.
Acting Executive Director Feryal Domingo says the cuts are affecting frontline services and access to treatment in vulnerable communities.
“Our healthcare workers and NPO leaders are experiencing unprecedented levels of burnout and secondary trauma. Inyathelo is calling on donors to move beyond project-specific funding and invest in institutional resilience. This includes allocating funds specifically for mental health support and wellness programmes for NPO staff, supporting core operational costs to reduce the administrative anxiety of hand-to-mouth survival, and fostering a culture of human dignity within the sector that prioritises the servant, not just the service,” said Domingo.
Inyathelo says increased support is needed to strengthen healthcare systems and protect service delivery.
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