Page 68 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

Strand II: Injury Prevention Research,
VISARU run a campaign for non-pressure
paraffin stove standard to improve safety and
reduce injury risk.
Meeting with Uganda Student.
66 SA M R C A N N U A L R EP O R T 2 0 2 5 / 2 0 2 6
Translation and Advocacy
This strand focuses on priority injury burdens,
structural drivers, and prevention strategies
through four thematic groups. Work includes
research on burns, energy justice, and community
safety, including studies on paraffin use in
approximately 425 000 South African households
and its association with burns and poisoning.
VISARU research has directly informed the South
African Bureau of Standards (SABS) review of SANS
1906:2012 (non-pressure paraffin stove standard),
aimed at improving safety and reducing injury
risk. The revised standard has been published for
stakeholder input, with anticipated adoption in
2026. A VISARU academic associate, Dr D. Kimemia,
chaired the review process.
Building Capacity Through
Training, Mentoring, and Support
VISARU adopts a comprehensive capacity
development approach to strengthen research
and implementation capacity in injury prevention.
This includes structured training programmes,
postgraduate supervision, research fellow
placements, and internships for Masters and
Doctoral students, as well as targeted training for
early-and mid-career researchers.
The Unit emphasises community-engaged
research, promoting reciprocal learning and
capacity strengthening in resource-constrained
settings where formal safety infrastructure may be
limited. Capacity development is structured across
three domains:
› internal capacity strengthening of staff and
postgraduate researchers;
› external development of students from Unisa and
other institutions; and
› capacity building for multi-sectoral practitioners
and policy stakeholders nationally and regionally.
VISARU currently supports a cohort of Master’s and
Doctoral students conducting research on evolving
patterns and drivers of violence and injury.
Artificial Intelligence in Medical
and Health Research
VISARU is progressively integrating data-driven and
AI-enabled approaches to strengthen public health
research, innovation, and evidence generation.