Page 118 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

Health Systems
Research Unit

Unit director:
Associate Prof. Tamara Kredo
tamara.kredo@mrc.ac.za

Advancing Research Priorities: increased well-being compared to those receiving
Strategic Objectives and Impact cash transfer only.

The Health Systems Research Unit (HSRU) is Key Milestones and Achievements
committed to building stronger health and
social care systems through collaborative health Networking for health systems research in South
policy and systems research promoting equity Africa: Aiming to grow the network of health
policy and systems researchers in South Africa and
and transformation to advance Universal Health create opportunities for showcasing research in
Coverage and primary healthcare. Our priority the field, the HSRU held a Research Symposium
research includes:
from 27-28 August 2024 at the SAMRC Conference
Respectful maternal-newborn care: The STAR Centre. Eighty-one delegates attended, including
intervention team designed, implemented and researchers, policymakers, government officials and
evaluated a participatory learning and action representatives from non-governmental and civil-
intervention in maternity units in nine rural hospitals in society organisations. The theme was Making UHC
KwaZulu-Natal. The findings advance understanding truly universal: what are the challenges to achieving
of what works to improve respectful care for mothers UHC in an unequal society and how do we target
and newborns and teamwork in maternity units in these now?
rural low-and middle-income settings, learnings that A major highlight for the unit is the formalisation of a
can be scaled-up nationally. National Evidence Response Service: The Evidence
Sexual-reproductive health: The HERStory3 to Decision (E2D) Initiative aims to add value
evaluation of the My Journey Programme reported to ongoing reform at national policy level to be
a positive impact on knowledge of HIV status, and responsive to research evidence needs in support
coverage of pre-exposure prophylaxis, and was of Universal Health Coverage. Implementation of
perceived to provide health, educational and career National Health Insurance (NHI) requires extensive
changes to the health system (including funding
benefits to adolescent girls and young women.
mechanisms, management structures, delivery
Impacts of social-policy interventions: The platforms, and benefits offered), as well as the
Motherload Project uses participatory methods to policies and regulations that govern healthcare. To
recognise, redistribute and reduce the health and ensure the development of transparent and effective
social impacts of unpaid care work for low-income NHI policies, it's vital that these are informed by
mothers. the best available evidence. Building on a decade-
long collaboration, the SAMRC, with Stellenbosch
The Caregiver Wellbeing Plus (CWEL+) project is University, has partnered with the National
a response to COVID-19 which compromised the Department of Health on this initiative. The aim is
well-being of caregivers of children and adolescents to support and build capacity for health and social
with HIV. Results showed that caregivers receiving care decision-making, through timely, responsive
the CWEL+ empowerment workshops plus cash had evidence production and translation for efficient,

116 SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25