World’s largest research funder lifts ban on South Africa

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, TB

The United States National Institutes of Health has lifted its ban nearly 18 months after an order to stop work with South Africa. The funding ban created a crisis for HIV and TB research, including NIH grants and US Agency for International Development aid. Many of the world’s major advances over the past two decades in understanding the science of HIV arose from South African scientists and from studies conducted here, the vast majority of them funded by the NIH.

EDITORIAL | After major research cuts, SA charts a new path

Posted in: Editorial, Focus 1, Focus 2, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Spotlight, TB

It has been a bruising year or so for medical researchers in South Africa with the US pausing, cancelling, and then resuming some grants. But as bad as things were, what played out wasn’t the worst case scenario, and momentum is now building toward recovery.

SA health research facing catastrophic financing cuts

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Focus 1, Focus 2, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Spotlight, TB

Cuts to United States funding of health research could have “catastrophic” consequences, says Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, who is at the helm of the country’s primary health research funder. He says the South African Medical Research Council is “heavily exposed” to the cuts, with around 28% of its budget coming from US federal agencies. Catherine Tomlinson reports.