The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has announced an emergency allocation of R22 million (US$1.2 million) to safeguard postgraduate students and research staff in its Faculty of Health Sciences, following sudden and widespread cuts to U.S.-funded health research programs.
The intervention, described as a lifeline rather than a solution, comes as Wits faces the termination of multiple high-impact U.S. government-funded initiatives—chiefly under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cancellation of these projects has placed at risk over R1.8 billion in funding, nearly 2,500 jobs, and critical public health infrastructure.
According to the university, the emergency funding will provide immediate relief to approximately 75 postgraduate students who are nearing degree completion and offer short-term financial support for essential research staff—for up to six months—as the institution seeks alternative funding streams.
“This is a necessary lifeline, but far from a full solution,” said Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation. “The scale of potential losses is staggering—disruption of long-term studies, biobanks, and disease surveillance platforms could deal a significant blow to national research capabilities.”
Among the terminated projects are 18 PEPFAR/USAID grants worth over R230 million annually, with five CDC-supported programs (valued at R600 million) set to conclude by September 2025, impacting more than 1,100 staff members. Wits also holds 126 active grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), ten of which have already received termination notices.
In response, Wits is coordinating with Universities South Africa (USAf) and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to advocate for a national funding response. A formal request of R1.8 billion—the projected replacement value of the affected projects—has been submitted to South Africa’s National Treasury.
Efforts are also underway to redirect internal funds, transition personnel onto active grants, and tap into public–private partnerships to mitigate immediate losses.
“This is not just an institutional crisis,” Morris cautioned. “It undermines South Africa’s ability to deliver key healthcare services linked to these research programs—from HIV treatment and diagnostics to clinical trials and epidemic preparedness.”
Recognising the national stakes, the South African government has convened a high-level working group led by Dr. Derrick Swartz, former Vice-Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University. The group is expected to present a coordinated national response plan by the end of June.
Meanwhile, Wits and its research arm, the Wits Health Consortium, are working with peer institutions, private funders, and development partners to secure medium- and long-term sustainability for the country’s vital health research ecosystem.
Article by Jed Mwangi
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