SAMRC welcomes the establishment of the STI funding working group
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) welcomes and supports the announcement by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, to establish a Working Group on Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding (STI-WG) in response to the abrupt withdrawal of funding by the United States government from key collaborative health research programmes in South Africa.
As a leading institution driving medical research and innovation to improve the nation’s health outcomes, the SAMRC is deeply concerned about the negative impact this funding withdrawal is having on life-saving research, scientific advancement, and—most importantly—the vulnerable populations who benefit from our collective research efforts, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other pressing health challenges.
We commend Minister Nzimande for acting to safeguard the integrity and sustainability of South Africa’s National System of Innovation (NSI). The establishment of the STI-WG is a timely and necessary intervention to assess the implications of this funding loss and to develop robust policy and strategic responses to ensure that South Africa remains resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive in science, technology, and innovation.
The SAMRC is already exploring solutions to address both the immediate shortfalls and long-term vulnerabilities in the research funding landscape. This includes pursuing two key goals:
- Raising R2 billion over the next two years - to strengthen the entire health research sector in South Africa.
- Diversifying the long-term funding model, to ensure sustained investment in health research.
The SAMRC stands ready to support the work of the STI-WG and to contribute our expertise and experience in medical research funding, policy, and systems strengthening. We share the Minister’s vision of a sustainable and secure research ecosystem that is responsive to national priorities and protected from external geopolitical shocks.
Now more than ever, it is critical for South Africa to invest in and protect its scientific capabilities to preserve the progress we have made in improving health outcomes, strengthening innovation capacity, and promoting global scientific collaboration.
For more information, please contact:
Tendani Tsedu
SAMRC Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications
Cell: 082 945 1980
E-mail: tendani.tsedu@mrc.ac.za