World’s largest research funder lifts ban on South Africa

The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) has rescinded its ban on South Africa, nearly 18 months after it imposed the restriction in February 2024. The NIH halted funding for South African research projects, including grants and USAID aid, in January 2025. An internal NIH memo, dated August 17, 2024, signed by NIH director Jay Bhattacharya, confirms the ban has been lifted for "meritorious research projects" in South Africa.

The memo clarifies that NIH grants are distinct from traditional foreign aid objectives. Médecins Sans Frontières, Treatment Action Group, and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) reported that the NIH's stop-work order had disrupted critical research initiatives and investments in research infrastructure. South African researchers, largely funded by NIH, have significantly shaped global health policies, particularly in fighting TB and HIV.

Ntobeko Ntusi, president and CEO of SAMRC, stated that the decision comes after 12 months of negotiations with NIH to reverse their position on South Africa. Linda-Gail Bekker, director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, mentioned that the centre had to lay off staff and lost partnerships with NIH due to the funding halt. SAMRC has raised around R600-million in rescue funds to support affected research projects, including contributions from the National Treasury, Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and ELMA Foundation.

However, UCT's School of Public Health's Landon Myer cautioned that while the scientific advancements in South African HIV and TB research are beneficial for the world, South Africans should remain cautiously optimistic due to potential bureaucratic challenges within the NIH.