Page 59 - SAMRC Annual Report 2023-24

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Meeting of traditional healers in Welverkdiend Collecting survey data in a household
village as part of Ntirhisano study. in the Agincourt study area.

Science for creating a and projectors were contributed to local schools,

healthier society along with generators, (iii) A novel effort, involved
training of traditional healers in the use of PPE and
The work of the unit rests on a population-based HIV testing; now widely extended, and (iv) An R&D
platform covering all living in >30 villages of programme to strengthen agency of community
Agincourt-Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga – a whole health workers is being extended at the request of
population cohort (or health and sociodemographic District and Province.
surveillance system, a node of SAPRIN). The portfolio
of observational and intervention research along In celebration of 30 years of
the life course requires nurturing and sustaining of
long-term respectful relationships with local host democracy in South Africa
communities: ongoing feedback and dialogue are a We have been blessed to enjoy an exceptionally
constant feature. rewarding and enriching partnership with the SAMRC
and Wits University. This partnership is the bedrock
Led by the unit's public engagement team, this
involves biannual all-of-village meetings to discuss that secures our enduring commitment to health and
epi-demographic and study findings. These development in rapidly changing rural settings of
characterise the unit's commitment to enhanced South and sub-Saharan Africa. Such environments,
community knowledge and understanding and in the midst of complex, dynamic, often unfamiliar
involve recruitment of local field staff and building health and social transitions, face persisting structural
their capacity to conduct surveys reliably and challenges that profoundly compromise health and
manage data rigorously and ethically. well-being along the life course.

As research included anthropometry and biomarkers, Working with a breadth of stakeholders – including the
the opportunity to share individual results became SAMRC, sister research centres, local communities,
important, with a need to strengthen referral to and public, non-profit and private sectors – we
local clinics and expert staff e.g. social workers, contribute vital population-based data, coupled
psychologists and specialist clinicians. To illustrate: with evidence on impactful interventions, that are
(i) BP assessment was successfully trialled in older essential to policy, practice and programmes across
person grant queues (an SAMRC-Unit effort), (ii) multiple health, education, social and development
Working with the US-based start-up, Variant Bio, sectors. In so doing, as part of ongoing efforts to
a benefit-sharing approach, co-developed with bridge deep-seated inequalities, we will sustain and
local communities, was implemented. Initially, extend initiatives that strengthen the capacities of
communities selected water storage (JoJo tanks next-generation scientists, practitioners and research
in each village). Then, responding to educational administrators, supporting them to thrive along their
priorities, technology options such as smartboards career paths and flourish in their professional roles.

SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2023-24 57