Bright Spot: Aurum Institute USA

Even in the midst of budget cuts and uncertainty, progress in global health is happening. That’s why Global Health Council (GHC) is starting this new series; we want to shine a light on these “bright spots,” where innovation meets determination. Our first example, below, comes from The Aurum Institute, USA.

When USAID’s support for tuberculosis (TB) programs in South Africa was abruptly halted earlier this year, the Aurum Institute’s Accelerate TB Elimination and Program Resilience Activity (ACCELERATE-1), which delivers early TB detection and treatment to high-burden communities across Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, was among those affected. ACCELERATE-1 uses a community-based model to bring mobile digital chest X-rays directly to neighborhoods, trace household contacts, and ensure rapid treatment for those diagnosed. This approach curbs transmission while reducing the daunting costs that often keep vulnerable families from seeking care. Without it, thousands of people at risk, including children, pregnant women, and people living with HIV, would lose access to essential screening and treatment services.

Thankfully, the story didn’t end there.

At the outset of the foreign aid funding cuts, a group of former USAID economists decided to act. They launched Project Resource Optimization (PRO), a rapid-response matchmaking system connecting private philanthropists with high-impact projects at risk of collapse. By combining real-time data analysis, rigorous vetting, and coordination with trusted implementers, PRO provides a list of projects meeting strict criteria for cost-effectiveness, viability, evidence, and urgency.

Using PRO, and working closely with the team of economists, Aurum was able to connect with a private donor who stepped in to restart ACCELERATE-1. As a result, the program will be able to reach more than 70,000 people over the next year with TB screening, diagnosis, and treatment. In a country where TB remains the leading cause of death for children under five, these renewed efforts mean lives saved and renewed hope for the communities Aurum serves.

As one project advisor noted:

“This is proof that creative collaboration can fill critical gaps when political or funding instability threatens progress.”

It is a powerful reminder that global health progress doesn’t depend on any one donor or institution, but on our collective will to act. When we work together, and new resources are offered, we can keep lifesaving programs alive and ensure that health equity moves forward, even in uncertain times.