South African researchers are facing growing uncertainty amid reports that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) may soon terminate all grants funding scientific research in the country. The potential move, which could take effect within days, has sparked alarm—especially among scientists working on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) research.
The concerns stem from a February 7 executive order issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which proposed cutting U.S. aid to South Africa over allegations of discrimination against Afrikaners—white South Africans of Dutch descent. While the order initially focused on financial assistance, it now appears to extend to research funding, a critical pillar of international scientific collaboration.
South Africa has the world’s largest HIV epidemic, with an estimated 7.8 million people—about 13% of its population—living with the virus. Many NIH-funded projects in the country focus on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, which remain major public health challenges. Losing this funding could halt critical research, disrupt clinical trials, and threaten ongoing treatment programs.
“It’s profoundly unethical,” said Dr. Peter Hunt, an HIV/AIDS researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. “Infectious diseases have no borders.”
The AIDS Clinical Trials Group, a global research consortium involving South African scientists, recently discussed the possible funding cuts. A March 12 email from NIH Acting Director Matthew Memoli instructed NIH divisions to compile a list of all grants related to South Africa, raising fears that termination orders are imminent.
A preliminary list from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reportedly contains 237 grants, many involving collaborations with U.S. and international institutions. NIAID is the largest NIH funder of research in South Africa, and cutting its grants could have devastating consequences.
This potential funding cut follows a broader pattern of U.S. funding withdrawals under the Trump administration. Previous NIH terminations targeted research on transgender health, vaccine hesitancy, and other politically sensitive topics. More recently, the administration revoked NIH and federal grants to Columbia University over allegations of antisemitism.
If NIH grants are revoked, South African research institutions could face mass layoffs, and many clinical trials may be forced to shut down. This would not only affect local scientists but also international researchers who rely on South African data for global health initiatives.
“You can’t just stop mid-study. We have an ethical responsibility to continue treating people,” warned Dr. Richard Chaisson, director of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for AIDS Research.
Dr Linda-Gail Bekker, an HIV clinician at the University of Cape Town, emphasized the decades-long U.S.-South Africa research collaboration. “These partnerships have built critical infrastructure and expertise. Their loss would be a step backwards for global health.”
While NIH has not confirmed the grant terminations, researchers are bracing for what could be a major setback to South Africa’s public health efforts.
Article by Nyokabi Wanjiku
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