Page 114 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

Burden of Disease
Research Unit

UNIT DIRECTOR:
Prof. Richard Matzopoulos
richard.matzopoulos@mrc.ac.za

Overview of the Research Unit of WHO classification systems, standards, and data
collection frameworks that are crucial for Universal
The SAMRC’s Burden of Disease Research Unit
(BODRU) uses a multidisciplinary approach Health Coverage.
spanning epidemiology, demography, biostatistics
and clinical medicine to generate accurate and
reliable estimates of disease burden, mortality,
summary health measures and associated risk
factors in South Africa. The Unit’s work provides
critical evidence to support priority setting, health
planning, policy development and resource
allocation aimed at improving population health,
quality of life and life expectancy.
Key projects include Rapid Mortality Surveillance
(RMS), which monitors excess mortality and tracks
key mortality indicators, and national burden-of-
disease estimation studies that assess the impact of
diseases and the risk factors driving them. BODRU’s The WHO-FIC Network Annual Meeting 2025
estimates are derived from multiple empirical in Geneva.
data sources, including the National Population
Register, Census data, research surveys and death
notification systems. These data are adjusted for
known deficiencies such as underreporting and
misclassification, particularly for HIV/AIDS and
injury-related deaths, to improve the accuracy and
usefulness of national health information.

The Unit also plays a vital role in assessing and
enhancing routine health information systems
and civil registration and vital statistics systems
in partnership with government agencies. At the
national level, BODRU collaborates closely with the
Departments of Home Affairs and Health, Statistics
South Africa (Stats SA), and the National Institute
for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Regionally,
the Unit hosts the WHO Family of International The WHO-FIC Collaborating Centre at the
Classifications (WHO-FIC) Collaborating Centre, mid-year meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
assisting with the implementation and application

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