Africa’s HIV/Aids research, vaccine programme halted after Trump pulls plug on USAID funding

In 2023, BRILLIANT Consortium led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) was initially tasked with heading an initiative dedicated to advancing HIV vaccine research in Africa with a budget of R829m.

The halting of financial support threatens this critical research, from laboratory infrastructure to the training of early- and mid-career researchers that are poised to lead the next generation of scientific breakthroughs.

At stake is not only the ability to develop an HIV vaccine but also the broader vision of empowering Africa’s research and clinical trials ecosystem. Plans to strengthen laboratory services, invest in training programmes, and build a self-sufficient scientific workforce have been disrupted, delaying essential research that millions of lives worldwide depend on.

US President Donald Trump announced last week that he had signed an executive order imposing a 90-day freeze on all foreign development assistance pending a review. The USAID has issued notices to Pepfar-funded HIV organisations terminating their funding for good, citing allegations of extensive wasteful spending within the agency as the reason behind this decision. 

Emphasising on the importance of the project, Prof Ntobeko Ntusi, president and CEO of the SAMRC, said: “The search for an HIV vaccine remains one of the most urgent global health challenges. Science is led by people and Africa has demonstrated its capacity to deliver solutions for its own health crises.

“Now, more than ever, there is an opportunity for the continent to take charge of its own HIV/Aids funding and research agenda. We call upon African governments, the private sector, and philanthropic organisations to step forward, ensuring that decades of progress are not lost but rather accelerated by homegrown innovation and investment.”  

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