The US funding suspension threatens health and research programs in Uganda

The US funding suspension threatens health and research programs in Uganda

Malaria vaccination and HIV treatment are on hold in many health programs in Uganda as the country's scientific research centers suffer the impact of a U.S. freeze on overseas aid.

Makerere University, one of Uganda's leading research institutions, has laid off 200 staff and suspended several research programs, while more than 2,000 health workers have reported losing their jobs, according to the vice chancellor.

The disorder threatens to unravel decades of scientific advances in East Africa, warns.

We can no longer provide HIV/ART services to patients promptly.“

Joyce Nannozi, Medical Superintendent, Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital

The U.S. government abruptly halted nearly all foreign assistance delivered through USAID and the State Department last month pending a 90-day review to ensure aid programs were consistent with the America First agenda.

According to figures on its website, now taken offline, USAID delivered an annual budget of $950 million to Uganda.

The funding freeze has led to widespread program closures at Makarere University, including the School of Public Health, the College of Health Sciences and the Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The university's vice-chancellor, Barnabas Nawangwe, said the suspension had paralyzed numerous research and health initiatives.

“The Trump order is very serious for Makerere because we receive a lot of financial support from US government institutions,” Nawangwe said in a briefing last week (February 3).

“The order affects many of our activities, particularly those related to health.”

Nawangwe said the Institute of Infectious Diseases supports treatment for HIV for 20 percent of all patients in Uganda who require antiretroviral therapy (ART). Stopping its activities threatens critical treatment programs for thousands of patients.

“The information I received from the affected units is that they had to suspend some activities and hire some staff for the 90 days,” said Nawangwe, who also said 200 staff on USAID-funded contracts were laid off.

A U.S. directive issued last week stated that all USID direct ban employees will be placed on administrative leave from Friday evening (Feb. 8), except for "mission-critical functions, core leadership and specifically designated programs."

The agency will initiate return travel to the U.S. for overseas personnel within 30 days and terminate contracts not deemed essential.

Malaria vaccines at risk

The impact of closures at Makerere University extends across Uganda's healthcare system.

Robert Kalyesubula, Senior Lecturer, Nephrologist and Head of Department of Physiology at Makerere University narratedScidev.netThese crucial immunization programs may be at risk.

Of particular importance, he says, is the planned malaria vaccination program.

“The 3 million doses that we are starting in April this year within the malaria vaccination were donated by USAID,” said Kalyesubula.

“Will the Ugandan government continue with this?”

He said the vaccine would be introduced into the national immunization plan and that the program would mean "1.5 million children born each year are not safe".

Programs such as the Uganda National Expanded program for immunization rely heavily on US funding. U.S. support has reduced the prevalence of malaria in children under five by more than 75 percent, according to official figures.

Kalyesubula warns that diseases that have been controlled for a long time could re-emerge due to the funding freeze. He says the impact also extends to education programs, impacting scholarships and capacity building for Ugandan experts.

Simon Peter Singo, medical director at Mengo Hospital, a teaching hospital in Kampala, warns of an impending health crisis, particularly in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

“The donor money was used to pay the salaries of the HIV staff team [at Mengo Hospital] where 50 were employed to carry out the programs,” Singo said.

At Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital, more than 60 health workers have been laid off.

Joyce Nannozi, the hospital's medical superintendent, told Scidev.net: "We can no longer provide HIV/ART services to patients because we are unable to take on the staff who have been removed."

'Death sentence' for HIV patients

Kyomukamama Flavia, executive director of the National Forum of People Living with HIV Networks Uganda, says the suspension has caused turmoil.

“The last two weeks have been incredibly difficult,” Flavia said at a Civil Society event in Kampala last week (February 3).

“Cutting off this support is essentially a death sentence for the 1.3 million people who currently have antiretroviral treatment.”

USAID support in Uganda has been significant. In 2024, the United States provided more than $471 million in health and development assistance, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis programs, and nearly $182 million in humanitarian assistance.

A USAID report for Uganda says U.S. support has also helped improve literacy rates for five million Ugandan children.

The funding pause comes at a critical time for Uganda's health sector, which relies heavily on external support, particularly the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Herbert Luswata, president of the Uganda Medical Association, told Scidev.net that USAID had imported millions of dollars into the country. He believes the 90-day freeze has profound consequences for all of these direct and indirect aid programs.

“As we speak, over 2,000 health workers have informed us of their job loss,” he said.

Luswata warns that if the Ugandan government does not consider its budget allocations, hard-fought gains in areas such as child mortality and HIV will be lost. He cites as examples the resuscitation of nearly 10,000 newborns in U.S.-supported facilities and nearly 1.4 million Ugandans receiving life-saving antiretrovirals through Pepfar.

“Unfortunately, what we see online creates fear as to whether it will be reinstalled even after 90 days,” he added.

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