The Child and Adolescent Lung Health Unit, based at the University of Cape Town, researches health concerns affecting children and adolescents in South Africa and Africa, with a focus on lung health.
Paediatric lung diseases like pneumonia, HIV-associated respiratory diseases and tuberculosis (TB) are leading causes of childhood mortality in Africa. Non-communicable respiratory diseases like asthma are also a growing concern.
Key focus areas
- Promoting clinical research to improve the diagnosis, prevention and management of childhood respiratory diseases as well as chronic diseases in children and adults;
- Developing new strategies for diagnosis, management and prevention of disease;
- Applying clinical evidence in healthcare and community interventions;
- Expanding and strengthening research and partnerships to improve the health of children in South Africa and Africa;
- Developing a research programme focused on high-priority childhood diseases like pneumonia, HIV and TB;
- the impact of early exposure to infectious diseases on child health and the development of chronic disease;
- Promoting awareness and understanding of the risk factors related to early childhood illness, along with the body’s physical responses and the long-term effects;
- Providing training for clinician scientists in child health; and
- Encouraging that the research findings to be applied in policy and practice.
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Unit Director: Prof Heather Zar University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa Tel: 27-21-658-5318 Email: heather.zar@uct.ac.za View Biosketch |
For more information, visit the websites of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Research Centre for Adolescent and Child Health (REACH) and SAMRC Unit on Child and Adolescent Health |