Page 115 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025
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PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Cochrane
South Africa
Unit director:
Prof. Mark Engel
mark.engel@mrc.ac.za
Advancing Research Priorities: Together with our involvement in developing
Strategic Objectives and Impact qualitative evidence synthesis tools, our outputs
are anticipated as serving to improve evidence
Cochrane South Africa's (CSA) activities seek gathering and guide stakeholders in strategies for
to contribute to the strengthening of public vaccination efforts and, infectious disease research.
health systems, clinical trials and health research
and improving immunisation and vaccination Key Milestones and Achievements
programmes (uptake and delivery). Through
evidence-based medicine tools as well as empirical Staff from CSA strengthened its role in hosting
research, problems addressed included vaccine the GloPID-R Africa Hub under the banner of
hesitancy/access to immunisation services/ the GloPID-R initiative where it coordinated the
vaccination programmes. Publications document pandemic responses for recent outbreaks such as
(1) reviews of barriers and facilitators for improving mpox, Marburg and Ebola, expanding the hub's
collaborative engagement with entities such as
vaccine uptake and delivery and, (2) empirical data the Africa CDC, WHO AFRO and, partners on the
obtained through cross-sectional studies.
continent.
Cochrane South Africa embarked on a number of
capacity-building initiatives, firming up systematic
review training/workshops sessions at a number of
HDIs. In addition, we have established a qualitative
evidence synthesis hub for supporting SAMRC
researchers in documenting qualitative research
evidence to build up the knowledge base.
Several grants (including from NRF, EDCTP, NIHR)
amounting to around R8M were successfully secured
to support projects related to qualitative evidence
synthesis, clinical trial registration and pandemic
preparedness.
CSA outputs are cited in policies, reports and
guidelines influencing policy from WHO, World
Bank, UN, European CDC, UNICEF, and Institute of
Development Studies. Analysis indicates outputs are
relevant to a number of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), notably Goal 1 (No poverty), Goal 3
(Good health and well-being), Goal 10, (reduced
Prof Mark Engel presenting a poster. inequalities) and Goal 16 (Peace, justice and strong
institutions).
SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25 113
