Additional Context: This quote was collected in September 2025 by a global health expert associated with Physicians for Human Rights, or PHR, documenting the lived experiences of individuals impacted by the transitions in foreign aid, particularly U.S. government funding for HIV/AIDS services. All narrators were recontacted in March 2026 to validate quotes and provide updates.

The name of the respondent was omitted by the report's authors. PHR reports that many of the respondents interviewed were frontline health workers with intersecting, complementary roles in supporting the South African research infrastructure, financed by the U.S. Many lost employment in the sector or became a part of the increasingly overworked remaining staff. In addition, PHR notes that highly-skilled staff who retained employment at research institutes faced considerable barriers due to the absence of staff across the healthcare system. This has disrupted the ability to conduct research of new treatments, prevention strategies, and innovative approaches to address the needs of people living with HIV in South Africa.

Devex Researcher Note: As of May 2025, as much as 70% of South Africa’s HIV and tuberculosis research projects were funded through the NIH, with other programs funded through the CDC and PEPFAR. Much of this funding, even for ongoing projects, has since ended.

Source: Physicians for Human Rights