In their reaction, the Botswana Nurses Union (BONU expressed shock and disbelief over the move, saying it will affect those on already on HIV treatment. BONU president, Peter Baleseng, emphasised that it is incomprehensible for patients undergoing Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) to miss their treatments, while holding out hope that the Americans can successfully block Trump’s harmful agenda. "This is not only a dangerous motive but an unethical one," Baleseng stated. "To subject human lives to such uncertainty is simply unacceptable," he added. Following his inauguration, President Trump signed an executive order for a 90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy. The development had a ripple effects as it led to the closure of several offices and thousands of jobs made redundant at various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) across the world.
The news has also left many people in shock, as they grapple with the unexpected impact. For their part, the Ministry of Health stated that the move will have an impact on the delivery of health in the country. Ministry of Health spokesperson, Dr Christopher Nyanga, explained that just like other countries, Botswana has been fortunate to receive generous aid from the government of the United States of America for many decades. "In the health sector, this aid comprised funding for direct service delivery and technical support, which has over the years been instrumental to the growth of the health sector of this country," stated Nyanga.
