TAC calls for greater SA funding after cuts force 40% retrenchment

IT’s BEEN a difficult start to the year for the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), which confirmed it has slashed staff numbers by 40 percent.

The HIV/ Aids organisation confirmed funding reductions had forced it to make the cut even as its fight against the spread of HIV/ Aids and for reliable and uninterrupted access to antiretroviral treatment and adequate health care for the most vulnerable in South Africa continued to be a priority.

Marcus Low, the TAC’s head of policy, said: “Going through a process like this is difficult. But we have to keep our eye on the ball; our focus is to advocate for quality healthcare services for people and not necessarily to create jobs. We have to deal with the healthcare system that is failing our communities.”

He said their work remained vital as the healthcare system in many of the country’s provinces was collapsing. With just over three million on antiretroviral treatment, another three million still needed to be put on the lifesaving drugs.

“There is still a shortage of drugs and staff in our clinics. We are given feedback of horror stories in our hospitals by our branches on the ground, which is how we intervene. Provinces like Mpumalanga and the Free State have the worst healthcare systems.”

The organisation’s financial woes date back to 2012, with global funders pulling the plug on non-government bodies such as the TAC.

In 2014, Section 27 head and TAC board member Mark Heywood said the organisation managed to raise 30 percent of its budget for 2015/ 2016. But he warned that should its finances not improve by the beginning of 2015 tough decisions would be made.

Low said it was getting harder to raise funds.

“South Africa has been reclassified as a middle-income country and some funders don’t give to middle-income countries. There are financial problems across the world, so it is getting difficult for organisations.”

He said the TAC budget had decreased from around R36 million per year to R20m.

Although staff levels were down, there were still 8 000 members and more than 230 branches across the country. He said it was time South African businesses and foundations started investing more in organisations like the TAC which fought for the “health of our democracy”.

Katherine Cebekhulu is among those retrenched from the TAC’s branches in Gauteng, but she continues to volunteer.

“This is what I love doing; seeing where the gaps are and helping the community. I am not getting anything for this, but I am fine with it. NGOs all over are facing tough times. The community relies on us, especially when they see we are committed. We can’t fail them,” she said.