A linkage officer at a clinic serving the transgender community in South Africa said: “For the ones that are taking ART, they were buying over the counter, which is a lot. They were buying. It’s an arm and a leg. Yes. Some of them would be sharing with friends.”
Date: 4/26
Region: Africa
Country: South Africa
Topic: Health, Gender Equality & Inclusion
Policy Lens: Global Health Security
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: This quote was collected in September 2025 by a global health expert associated with Physicians for Human Rights, or PHR, documenting the lived experiences of individuals impacted by the transitions in foreign aid, particularly U.S. government funding for HIV/AIDS services. All narrators were recontacted in March 2026 to validate quotes and provide updates.
This respondent, who remained anonymous, worked as a peer educator at a clinic serving the transgender community that closed as a result of the initial U.S. aid cuts. She describes how structural barriers meant that some of her clients opted to buy antiretroviral therapy medication, or ART, illegally or out-of-pocket. Later, many patients resumed official treatment when the organization obtained reduced funding to operate out of a government clinic.
Source: Physicians for Human Rights