Us Funding Cut For Hiv And Tb Research Spells Global Health Disaster, Experts Have Warned

The termination of United States funding for HIV and tuberculosis research programmes in South Africa could undo years of progress and fuel a global health crisis, because TB remains a major threat, health experts warned.

TB is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV.

As a diplomatic row simmers between the two countries, US President Donald Trump ended funding for South African HIV and TB research grants funnelled through the National Institutes of Health NIH after last month announcing Washington was cutting support for local HIV/Aids and TB health programmes.

Health news publication Spotlight estimated that the NIH awarded R803 million in grants to South African research groups in 2024. This covered 102 grants, ranging from R500 000 to R49 million. From 2019 to 2023, the NIH awarded R2.1 billion for TB research.

The research funding cut puts pressure on South Africas response to TB and could slow down the capacity to develop new tests, said Ingrid Schoeman, the director of the NGO, TB Proof.