In Patient Department lab at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital offers testing for multiple diseases including Meningitis, Tuberculosis (TB) , HIV etc. This has assisted in bringing awareness to diseases that were previously going undiagnosed. Photo Credit: Njiiri Karago
Issue brief |

Shifting Global Health R&D Funding: Opportunities in a Changing Landscape

Photo Credit: Njiiri Karago

April 2026 — Recent funding constraints for biomedical research in Africa have highlighted the urgent need to build a more sustainable and equitable research and development (R&D) ecosystem on the continent. On 19 February 2026, MSF Access convened a panel of leading experts to examine the broader implications of declining R&D investment and the emerging opportunities within a shifting global health landscape.

This report compiles and organises the insights shared during the webinar, drawing directly from speakers’ contributions to present the main barriers and proposed ways forward for stronger and more equitable R&D partnerships across the continent. It also includes a dedicated section highlighting Africa's roles in tuberculosis (TB) vaccine research as an example, and a call to action toward a coherent and equitable R&D future for Africa.