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Daily Maverick
14 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
As lifelines severed, Mozambique's HIV-positive children face dire consequences of aid cuts (Part 1)
In Mozambique, the health system is overwhelmingly built on US money. When the Trump administration instantly pulled much of this funding without warning, disease and death spread. Spotlight and GroundUp visited one of the worst-affected regions to describe the human toll. Hospitals run short of life-saving drugs. Doctors and nurses are laid off en masse. Hospital lines get longer and longer. Some patients are given the wrong medication, probably because the data capturers (who manage patient files) have lost their jobs. Community case workers who had been delivering HIV medication to orphaned children stopped coming. Without their antiretrovirals (ARVs), some of these children die. Following Donald Trump's executive order to suspend US global aid funding on 20 January 2025, the health system in parts of Mozambique fell into a state of chaos. US aid agencies had financed much of the country's healthcare workforce, along with the transportation of drugs and diagnostic tests to government hospitals. In some provinces, this money came from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which restored much of its funding shortly after the executive order. But in the central provinces of Sofala and Manica the money came from the US Agency for International Development (USAid), which permanently pulled most of its grants. For a week in June, I travelled to nine rural villages and towns across the two provinces. Interviews with grieving caregivers, health workers and government officials across these settlements all converged on one clear and near-universal conclusion: the funding cuts have led to the deaths of children. One of the clearest reasons is this: after USAid-backed community health workers were dismissed, thousands of HIV-positive children under their care were abandoned. Panic at all levels In 2020, a Sofala-based organisation called ComuSanas received a large USAid grant to employ hundreds of community workers throughout rural parts of the province. 'The project aimed to reduce mortality among children living with HIV,' says Joaquim Issufo, a former community worker with the project. He spoke to me from a street market in the impoverished district of Buzi, where he now runs a stall selling fish. 'We worked with children aged 0 to 17, especially orphans and vulnerable children.' These children live in remote villages, far away from public amenities. Some were found living in homes without any adults. Many others live with an elderly grandparent who can barely afford to feed them. In the midst of poverty and isolation, the case workers, known locally as activists, functioned as a bridge between these children and the country's hospitals. They shuttled diagnostic tests between communities and health facilities. They brought children their medicines and ensured they took the correct doses at the right times. And they accompanied them to health facilities, and helped them weave through bureaucracy. Issufo notes that their role also extended far beyond health: they organised birth certificates, enrolled children in schools and referred them for housing. When drought and famine ripped through villages, they brought food baskets and provided nutritional education. In the villages that I went to, children and their caregivers referred to the activists as 'mother', 'father' or 'sister', and said that they were like family members. But after USAid issued stop-work orders to ComuSanas in January, those 'mothers and fathers' abruptly stopped visiting, and suddenly the region's most desperate children were left to fend for themselves. Issufo says that after this, there was 'panic at all levels, both for us as activists and also for our beneficiaries'. Children admitted to hospital and left for dead About 80km from Issufo's fish stall is the village of Tica, in the Nhamatanda district. Amid homes of mud brick and thatch, a group of former ComuSanas activists sit on logs, buckets and reed mats and explain the consequences of the programme's termination. '[Before the USAid cuts], I was taking care of a boy because [he] lives with an elderly woman, and she had to work,' says Marta Jofulande. 'I had to go to the health facility and give the child his [ARV] medication. I also helped to do things like preparing food. But with this suspension, I couldn't go any more.' Shortly after, Jofulande was told by the child's elderly caregiver that he had fallen ill, and was in critical care at a central hospital. 'I was the one bringing the [ARVs] to him,' says Jofulande. 'As soon as the programme stopped, he no longer took the medication, and that's when he relapsed. He is in a very critical condition and is breathing through a tube.' 'His name is Cleiton,' she adds. 'He's eight years old.' Many other children have already perished. A 20-minute drive from Tica is the settlement of Mutua, in the Dondo district. There, activist Carlota Francisco says: 'During this pause, we had cases [of children] that were really critical that ended up losing their lives.' One of them was a two-year-old girl under her care. 'That child depended on me,' says Francisco, who explains that she would fetch and provide the girl's ARVs. After she stopped, she says the girl's caregivers failed to give her the correct dosages. The two-year-old died shortly thereafter. Stories such as this were repeated in almost every village that we visited. Often, children or their caregivers attempted to get the medication without the activists. But many of the hospitals were in a state of chaos because USAid-funded health workers and data capturers had been laid off. The linkage officers that knew these children and had previously assisted them were gone too. (The procurement of the country's ARVs is financed by The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This money continues to flow, but the distribution of these drugs to hospitals relies on US money.) Endless queues, drug shortages and the loss of patient files meant some didn't get their medication. Rates of ARV treatment fall throughout the province The director of health for the Buzi district, Roque Junior Gemo, explains that a key role of the community workers was to extend health services to remote areas that they had long struggled to reach. 'They are like our tree branches to bring services to the people,' says Gemo. 'Our villages are very remote, and we have a large population that needs information [and] basic services. 'Especially in the HIV area, we have terminal patients who were once followed up by activists. They used to get medications at home. Without that help, their condition worsened, and some died.' This forms part of an issue that extends far beyond the district of Buzi. In the Sofala capital of Beira, I sat down with some of the province's senior health officials. The HIV supervisor for the province, Manuel Seco, provided data on the HIV response in Sofala, before and after the cuts. Between May and December of 2024, the total number of people on ARVs in the province had risen by more than 20,000 people, the data shows. This increase occurred steadily, rising by 500 to 5,000 people each month. But as soon as the cuts were made, this progress was halted and the trend reversed. Since January, the number of people on ARV treatment has been falling by hundreds of people each month. The reason, according to Seco, is that many people who were on ARVs have stopped their treatment, while new ARV initiations have dropped sharply. And the impact extends far beyond just the HIV response. TB left untreated Buried within a compound owned by Tongaat Hulett is a government hospital that services the rural population of Mafambisse, in Dondo district. Joaquim Mupanguiua, who deals with TB at the hospital, says that after the activists were laid off, the hospital saw a steep decline in the number of TB patients coming to the facility. 'Only when they are already very ill do they come to the health unit,' he says. 'But with the activists they would easily go to the communities and find the sick.' The number of patients coming to the hospital is roughly a third of what it once was: 'We used to get around 28 to 30 [TB] patients per month, but now we're down to fewer than 10,' Mupanguiua notes. Because patients come to the hospital when they're already severely ill, there's significantly less that health facilities can do for them. It's thus no surprise that Mupanguiua believes that there has been an uptick in needless TB deaths. Finding other ways Back in the Buzi district office, Gemo says that efforts have been made to assist terminal patients who had previously been supported by activists, but there are so many people in need that they aren't able to help everyone. Activists often said something similar — they continue to visit their beneficiaries when they can, they say, but without ComuSanas sponsoring their transport costs, many struggle to visit children in remote areas. And the loss of their income with the programme means that they now need to spend their days finding other ways to survive — subsistence farming and street markets are the usual routes. But this work rarely offers the kind of regular income that ComuSanas was providing. 'Honestly, buying notebooks, pens and clothes for my children has become very difficult,' says Dondo-based activist Brito Balao. Meanwhile, in Tica, activists asked how they could provide food to their former beneficiaries when they are themselves going hungry. Despite this, the activists still live within the same villages as their beneficiaries. And so unlike those in Washington, they cannot withdraw their support without facing the resentment or desperation of their communities. 'We work with love, and we get really sad not being able to be there for those kids,' says one Mutua-based activist. 'There's even another family that cried today [when they saw me]. 'You've been away for a while,' they said. Gosh, we feel bad.' Among former beneficiaries of the programme the sense of abandonment was palpable, and their anger was often directed at the former activists. This was often compounded by the fact that no one had explained to them why the programme had stopped. In the village of Nharuchonga, Joana explains that in the past her activist, Fatima, would always come and ensure that her daughter took her ARVs. Now that Fatima has stopped coming, her daughter doesn't always take the medication, she says. (Fatima is present during this conversation.) 'We've been abandoned by Fatima,' she states, looking directly away from the former activist. 'Until now we have been too shy to ask why she has abandoned us.' In many other cases, the tone was simply one of sadness. Back in Tica, inside an outdoor kitchen made of corrugated iron sheets, Maria holds her five-year-old granddaughter Teresa. Despite facing hunger at various points over recent years, she cooks sweet potatoes above a small fire, and insists that everyone eats. Both of Teresa's parents died of Aids, says Maria. It has been left to her to raise the child, while trying to grow rice and maize for subsistence — an effort hampered by frequent drought. For a long time Maria has had help with this parental role, she says. Activist Marta Jofulande had been assisting her family and acting like a mother to the child. But since the programme was terminated, they don't see much of Jofulande anymore. Instead, five-year-old Teresa has been forced to deal with the exit of yet another parental figure. DM A note on quotes: Most of our interviews were in Portuguese and were mediated by a local translator. We subsequently transcribed and translated the recordings of these interviews using AI-based software, including Descript and ChatGPT. Where there was a significant mismatch between the interpretations of the translator and the software, we contacted the interviewee or got third parties to help translate the recordings. The cost of travel, accommodation and the journalist's remuneration was shared between GroundUp and Spotlight. Part two will be published next week.
Kyodo News
15 hours ago
- Business
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Matcha's moment in peril as Trump tariff threat looms over industry
By Toma Mochizuki, Spotlight Japan - 12 minutes ago - 16:17 | All, Spotlight The Kokaen tea farm in western Japan's Aichi Prefecture is among many in the matcha industry that has benefited from the recent boom in popularity of the Japanese powdered tea. While a surge in demand has been welcomed in a country where domestic tea consumption has been declining, there are concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff regime may push up prices and dampen sales. The uncertainty has left both experts and tea farmers anxious, fearing that a shrinking global market could mean the loss of a promising and lucrative opportunity. >>Read the full article with visuals and video on Spotlight Japan>> More Spotlight Japan stories: Remote Japan island, population 11, aims to become global manga hub Award-winning short captures rawness of relationships in 14 minutes FEATURE: Silent witnesses: A-bomb trees carrying on aging survivors' legacy
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Rebel Wilson rebels against being a bridesmaid, Pixar introduces eccentric aliens, and John Wick is back on the big screen
Spotlight is our bite-sized entertainment snapshot featuring new releases in South Africa, exclusive film trailers and more. New episodes come out every Thursday on Sunday Times Lifestyle, Sowetan Entertainment and YouTube, plus you can follow Spotlight on Facebook. Spotlight this week looks at Rebel Wilson's latest action comedy, a new Pixar release at cinemas and coverage of the local premiere of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. In the action comedy Bride Hard, world-class secret agent Sam (Wilson) is terrible at her maid of honour duties because she is too busy with her undercover international spy mission demands. Finding herself demoted to bridesmaid status, she gets a chance at redemption when armed mercenaries crash the ceremony, leaving it up to her to come to the rescue. Directed by Simon West (Con Air, The Expendables 2) and co-starring Anna Camp, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Anna Chlumsky, the film is at cinemas. The Pixar animation Elio centres on space fanatic Elio's life-changing interplanetary adventure, forming new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he is truly meant to be in the world. The hilarious coming of age adventure is directed by a trio of animation gurus — Adrian Molina (Coco, The Good Dinosaur), Madeline Sharafian (Turning Red) and Domee Shi (Inside Out) — and features voice cast Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña and more. On at cinemas and 3D. Don't miss coverage of the local premiere of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, a sneak peek at the next chapter of the much-anticipated popular franchise Now You See Me: Now You Don't in November, and a dystopian Stephen King-penned horror The Long Walk at cinemas in September. Competition and giveaways Win a Bride Hard movie merchandise hamper by answering a question. For full competition details and the questions, go to the Spotlight SA Facebook page and DM your answers and contact details by June 25. Terms and conditions apply. Winners will be drawn randomly and notified by SMS after the competition has closed. Entrants' personal details will not be retained for marketing purposes. Winners have to provide proof of age (ID/driving licence) and cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. By entering, participants agree to have their names published on TimesLIVE, SowetanLIVE and Spotlight SA on Facebook. Employees of Arena Holdings and their family members are not eligible to enter.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Manu Feildel names the 'underrated' ingredient you MUST use for flavour - and the five cheap staples that make meals instantly tastier
He's best known for his rich sauces, hearty French classics and firm but fair critiques on My Kitchen Rules - and now Manu Feildel has revealed his top 2025 culinary secrets. Speaking to FEMAIL, the celebrity chef spilled his 'musts' - from kitchen tips and pantry essentials to the one humble vegetable he believes every Aussie should be cooking with. When it comes to flavour, Manu believes there is an often-overlooked vegetable that deserves a second chance: leeks. 'They're sweet when cooked down and add so much depth to soups, pies, and sauces,' he said. 'They're a real French kitchen staple and totally underrated here.' The French-born chef, who recently launched a new cast iron cookware collection with Spotlight, said a well-stocked pantry doesn't need to be fancy - but it should be functional. 'Olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, tinned tomatoes and good-quality salt,' he said when asked what ingredients he always keeps on hand. 'With those, you're halfway to something tasty already.' And with many of those items setting you back just a couple of dollars, it's proof that flavour doesn't have to come with a big price tag. Though known for restaurant-level meals, Manu insists weeknight cooking can - and should - be simple. His go-to? A one-pan roast chicken with veggies. 'Quick to prep, full of flavour, and the oven does most of the work. Plus the leftovers are great the next day,' he said. 'The biggest mistake I see over and over again is something almost everyone makes,' Manu added. 'It's not seasoning properly. A lot of home cooks are afraid of salt, but seasoning is key to bringing a dish to life. Don't be scared - just taste as you go.' For those looking to elevate their backyard BBQ game, Manu has one golden rule: marinate. 'A great marinade can turn simple meat or veggies into something incredible,' he said. 'And don't forget to rest your meat after cooking - it keeps it juicy and flavourful.' While he's cooked for thousands and judged hundreds of hopefuls on television, he says it's not technique that makes a great home cook - it's passion. 'The best ones love what they do,' he said. 'It's not about perfection. It's about putting heart into every dish.' And if you've been too intimidated to try crème brûlée, Manu wants to change your mind. 'It's literally cream, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla,' he said. 'The trickiest part is not eating all the custard before it sets!' The chef's new Culinary & Co. cast iron collection, available exclusively at Spotlight, was designed to bring that same balance of beauty and practicality to Aussie kitchens. 'It's been a dream of mine to create cookware that reflects how I like to cook,' he said. 'Durable, beautiful, and practical - especially the wok and fry pans. I can't wait for people to get cooking with it at home.' For Manu, food is about memory as much as taste, and nothing takes him back like the slow-cooked beef bourguignon his mum used to make. 'It's rich, comforting, and reminds me of being a kid in France,' he said.
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sunday World
Priest who admitted role in IRA bombings and arms dealing dies in Dublin aged 95
Fr Patrick Ryan admitted his role in arming the IRA for a series of bombings on mainland Britain, including the attack on the Grand Hotel in Brighton A Catholic priest who admitted his role in arming the IRA for a series of bombings on mainland Britain, including the attack on the Grand Hotel in Brighton in 1984 targeting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has died. Fr Patrick Ryan had been accused of involvement in Provisional IRA activity in 1988 and had been the subject of two unsuccessful extradition attempts at a time when Mrs Thatcher called him 'a very dangerous man'. Fr Ryan, who was a native of Rossmore, Co Tipperary, died in Dublin on Sunday at the age of 95 following a short illness. He had been ordained as a priest in 1954 at the Pallottine College in Thurles and later served in Tanzania and London. In January 1990, he was dismissed from the Pallottine Fathers. He no longer had permission to say Mass or administer the sacraments. Becoming known as 'The Padre', he spent decades denying accusations, claiming he had raised money both inside and outside Europe for victims on the nationalist side in the Troubles but had 'never bought explosives for the IRA or anybody else' and had never been requested by the paramilitary group to do so. But the priest had allegedly become the main contact for many years between the IRA and one of its main sources of weaponry and finance — Muammar Gaddafi's Libyan regime. His meetings with Gaddafi were documented in journalist Jennifer O'Leary's book The Padre: The True Story of the Irish Priest Who Armed the IRA with Gaddafi's Money. Ryan was also the first priest to contest an election in Ireland, when he ran in the 1989 European Parliament election in the Munster constituency as an Independent with Sinn Fein support. He failed to be elected but received more than 30,000 votes. But it was his alleged role in supplying arms for the IRA that brought him under most scrutiny and caused a political storm between the UK, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland. He had been arrested in Belgium in 1988. Following the killing of three off-duty British servicemen in the Netherlands, a tip-off led Belgian police to an IRA sympathiser's home and to Ryan's arrest. He was believed to be the quartermaster of an active IRA unit in Belgium, a crucial logistical figure. Bomb-making equipment, manuals and a large sum of foreign currency were seized. Repatriated to Ireland, after going on hunger strike as the UK sought to bring him to trial, the country then refused to extradite him to the UK believing he would not receive a fair trial. Patrick Ryan being interviewed on Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History in 2019 (BBC) News in 90 seconds - 16th June 2025 Mrs Thatcher once described the cleric as having an 'expert knowledge of bombing' and, in 2019, in an interview for BBC's Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History, he was asked if he was involved in any of the incidents of which Mrs Thatcher had accused him, to which he responded: 'I would say most of them. One way or another, yes, I had a hand in most of them. Yes, she was right.' Asked if the PM was right to connect him to events such as the Brighton bomb, he replied: 'One hundred per cent.' Five people died when, on October 12, 1984, an IRA bomb exploded inside the Grand Hotel, where Margaret Thatcher's ruling Conservative Party was holding its annual conference. As the programme explored his key role in IRA arms shipments from Libya, he went on to take credit for introducing the organisation to a type of timer unit it used to set off bombs which he had discovered while in Switzerland. Asked if he had any regrets, Mr Ryan said: 'I regret that I wasn't even more effective, absolutely. I would have liked to have been much more effective, but we didn't do too badly.'
