Child and Adolescent Lung Health

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.

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