NPO raises concerns over sustainability in healthcare after international funding cuts

Non-profit organisation (NPO), Inyathelo, is raising concern about the sustainability of South Africa’s healthcare sector ahead of World Health Day on Tuesday.

The organisation warns that ongoing international funding cuts, including from USAID, and the freezing of PEPFAR-funded projects, have left a significant gap in HIV and TB programmes.

Acting Executive Director Feryal Domingo says the cuts are affecting frontline healthcare services and access to treatment in vulnerable communities.

She says the crisis is also taking a toll on the mental well-being of non-profit workers, who are facing increased pressure and burnout.

“Our healthcare workers and NPO leaders are experiencing unprecedented levels of burnout and secondary trauma. Inyatelo 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.”