It’s been just over 2 years since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic on 30 January 2020 by the World Health Organization. As of 12 April 2022, the global number of confirmed Covid-19 deaths was over 6,2 million. Despite high levels of reported deaths, at least in countries with functioning civil
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Kudos, Ryan, on receiving the Charles Kyeyune Memorial Prize!
The MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit heartily congratulates Dr Ryan Wagner on receiving the Dr Charles Kyeyune Memorial Prize at Wits University’s Faculty of Health Sciences’ 2022 Awards Ceremony on 20 April. Ryan, who recently completed his MBBCH degree at Wits University, received this award for displaying leadership, commitment, caring for patients,
The MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit deepens collaboration with DIMAMO
The MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) was delighted to host a team from DIMAMO from 23 – 24 February. Like the MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit, DIMAMO is also a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS); it is based in Limpopo Province and affiliated with the University
Screening for hypertension among the elderly in the social grants queues
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a serious health condition that one can have without any noticeable symptoms. Know Your Numbers is a pilot study by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit that is screening for hypertension among the
Ngoni Ngwarai receives Exceptional Service Award from the Faculty of Health Sciences
The MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit heartily congratulates Ngoni Ngwarai who received an Exceptional Service Award for 2021 at the Faculty of Health Sciences Annual Honours Celebration held on Tuesday, 1 February 2022. His award was accompanied by this motivation: Ngoni has been Head of Research Operations at the MRC/Wits Rural Public
Ngoni Ngwarai receives Wits Covid-19 Hero accolade
The University of the Witwatersrand continues to acknowledge heroic work undertaken by staff during Covid-19. In December 2021, Ngoni Ngwarai, Assistant Director of Systems and Operations at the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit received this accolade. Ngoni shares his experience of adapting the MRC/Wits Agincourt Research Unit
Professor Xavier Gómez-Olivé denounces travel bans on South Africa in the wake of Omicron variant announcement
The emergence of the Omicron variant of SARS-COV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) has caused global alarm. This variant was sequenced by South African scientists and made public on 24 November 2021. On receiving this news, the United Kingdom promptly banned travel to South Africa as well as 6 other
What has changed for rural South African women in the last 25 years
The MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit has, for nearly three decades, engaged in population research in the rural Agincourt area of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Rural communities have witnessed and participated in political, economic, socio-demographic changes, and experienced changes to their health status. In this article in The Conversation, Ryan Wagner, Chodziwadziwa
Identifying the genetic risk factors of kidney disease
African Research on Kidney Disease (ARK) is a research collaboration focused on understanding kidney disease in sub-Saharan Africa, with study sites in Malawi, Uganda, and South Africa. ARK’s multi-centre research consortium includes researchers from all three countries, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK), and most recently, Variant Bio
Wits University Covid-19 Heroes, Dr Bianca Moffett and Dr Jacques du Toit
Hearty congratulations to Dr Bianca Moffett and Dr Jacques du Toit for well-deserved recognition as Wits University Covid-19 Heroes! This acknowledgement recognised their efforts with Hlayisekani and other Covid-19 readiness and outreach programmes to protect the rural communities of Bushbuckridge, in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Read about Bianca and Jacques’