Top

What We Do

Wits RHI is a hybrid research and implementation Institute that is dynamic, progressive, and responsive to global and local health emergencies. We pioneer cutting-edge science and innovation in the fields of infectious and vaccine preventable diseases; sexual and reproductive health; antimicrobial resistance,climate change and emerging crises.

Our strength lies in our multi-disciplinary and holistic approach to improving health outcomes at a local and global level through research, technical assistance, advocacy, policy development, implementation science and health systems strengthening. We identify health problems through sound epidemiological methods and qualitative research, and use a range of analytic and research methods to generate evidence and test and evaluate interventions in a real word setting.

We are a part of the the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), a world class African University.  We are its largest institute.

We are a Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) collaborating centre and a strategic partner to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

 

Who We Serve

Our work is focused on populations that are most in need, marginalized, or hard to reach. These include:

  • Pregnant women and mother-infant pairs
  • Women
  • Key populations including adolescents, sex workers and LGBTQI people
  • Adults and children living with HIV and TB

Wits RHI in Numbers

Staff Members
2500+
Research and Implementation Sites
50
Current Active Grants
95
Academic Joint Appointments
51
Provides technological support to national, regional, and global committees (2023)
128
Published academic journals and book chapters (2023)
111
People initiated onto PrEP (2018 – 2024)
330000
People treated monthly for HIV (2023)
650000

Wits RHI Stories

Wits RHI Hillbrow Celebrates a Double Win: Champions in Soccer and Netball Tournament

Wits RHI Hillbrow recently celebrated a remarkable achievement, taking home championships in both soccer and netball at the One-Day Soccer and Netball Tournament, organized by Ezintsha on 26 October 2024. The tournament, held at the Roodepoort Sports Ground, was a dynamic event that brought together teams

View People

What you need to know about the clinical trials of tuberculosis vaccine in South Africa

Bongani Bingwa from Radio 702 spoke with Professor Lee Fairlie, Wits RHI’s Director of Maternal and Child Health and Co-National Principal Investigator for the TB vaccine trial in South Africa. In this interview, Prof Fairlie discusses the introduction of a TB vaccine clinical trial and addresses criticisms around vaccine trials.

View Project Highlights

Wits RHI’s Climate and Health Team Leading the Charge at CHAC 2024

We are proud to be a significant contributor to the inaugural Climate & Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024), scheduled for 29-31 October 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe. This conference is hosted by the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR Zimbabwe),

View Events

Latest Publications

HIV DNA Levels in Persons Who Acquired HIV in the Setting of Long-Acting Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention: Analysis of Cases from HPTN 083 and 084

Authors

Fogel JM, Persaud D, Piwowar-Manning E, Richardson P, Szewczyk J, Marzinke MA, Wang Z, Guo X, McCauley M, Farrior J, Tran HV, Ungsedhapand C, Mathew CA, Mpendo J, Rinehart AR, Rooney JF, Cohen MS, Hanscom B, Grinsztejn B, Hosseinipour MC, Delany-Moretlwe S, Landovitz RJ, Eshleman SH, HPTN 083 and HPTN 084 Study Teams. (2024)

Abstract

We evaluated HIV DNA levels in individuals who received long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) pre-exposure prophylaxis in the HPTN 083 and 084 trials and had HIV DNA testing performed to help determine HIV status. HIV DNA testing was performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples collected after a reactive HIV test was obtained at a study site. DNA was quantified using droplet digital PCR (lower limit of detection [LLOD]: 4.09 copies/million PBMCs). Final HIV status and the timing of the first HIV-positive visit were determined by an independent adjudication committee based on HIV test results from real-time site testing and retrospective testing at a centralized laboratory.

View more

HIV DNA Levels in Persons Who Acquired HIV in the Setting of Long-Acting Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention: Analysis of Cases from HPTN 083 and 084

Fogel JM, Persaud D, Piwowar-Manning E, Richardson P, Szewczyk J, Marzinke MA, Wang Z, Guo X, McCauley M, Farrior J, Tran HV, Ungsedhapand C, Mathew CA, Mpendo J, Rinehart AR,…

View more

South African Parents’ and Grandparents’ Perspectives on the Acceptability of Implant Delivery of Treatment to Young Children with HIV

Hawley I, Baez A, Scorgie F, Fairlie L, Mathebula F, Cottrell ML, Johnson LM, Montgomery ET.(2024)

View more

High prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in unvaccinated adolescent girls in South Africa, particularly those living with HIV

Travill DI, Machalek DA, Rees H, Mbulawa Z, Chikandiwa A, Munthali R, Petoumenos K, Kaldor JM, Delany-Moretlwe S. (2024)

View more

Preferences for Delivery of HIV Prevention Services Among Healthcare Users in South Africa: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Martin CE, Blaauw D, Nongena P, Chidumwa G, Dada S, Jack S, Butler V, Mullick S. (2024)

View more

Wits RHI in the News

Spotlight interviewed Nicolette Naidoo, Programme Head for Implementation Science at…

Read article

Wits RHI, in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Health,…

Read article

Wits RHI’s enduring commitment to providing healthcare and conducting cutting-edge…

Read article

Our Donors and Partners

Meet our Donors and Partners