South Africa, Gates Step in After US Defunds HIV Research

South Africa’s government together with the Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust have pledged 600 million rand ($33 million) in a step that could keep medical research projects including a key HIV vaccine trial running after the US slashed funding for the programs.

The contribution, which sees the government’s 400 million rand pledge over three years augmented by 100 million rand each from the foundations, will be available for defunded research programs including targeting diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis, the South African Medical Research Council said in a statement on Monday.

“We will apply and hopefully get some funding,” said …