As of February 2026, a South African clinic serving the LGBTQI+ community that has had to terminate programs has only been able to link 55% of its former clients previously receiving antiretroviral treatment to government or private facilities. They continue to do outreach to the rest.

Date: 2/26

Region: Africa

Country: South Africa

Topic: Health, Gender Equality & Inclusion

Policy Lens: Global Health Security

Entry Type: Secondary Effect

Additional Context: According to Devex reporting, OUT LGBT Well-Being is one of South Africa's oldest queer-friendly clinics, and one that’s specifically focused on men who have sex with men. Last January, the United States’ cuts to foreign aid forced OUT to shutter its services for 10,000 clients — and over the last year, some of South Africa’s most at-risk HIV patients were left in the dark.

Of the nine staff members remaining at the clinic, most have been focused on routing former patients into alternative care. But with nonprofit services strained and shuttered, that’s meant more people have been pushed to government facilities — settings that often lack the training, sensitivity, or ability to serve OUT’s target population.

Source: Devex