What Happens When the PEPFAR Bridge Program Ends?

Journalist Larry Miller will investigate how South Africa and Lesotho are navigating a critical transition in U.S. global health policy. As the PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) Bridge Program expires in March 2026, South Africa faces funding uncertainty while Lesotho implements a newly secured five-year, $364 million bilateral agreement.

Miller will examine why South Africa—with the world's largest HIV-positive population—was excluded from bilateral negotiations after political tensions over the Expropriation Act. Through interviews with health officials, front-line workers, and vulnerable communities, Miller will document how funding cuts affect treatment access and prevention programs.

Reporting will investigate whether U.S. tariffs are constraining health-care budgets, and explore how China is expanding health diplomacy in the region.

Drawing on his previous South Africa reporting experience, Miller will document how political decisions translate into life-or-death consequences for millions living with HIV/AIDS.