Multimorbidity refers to the situation where an individual is living with two or more chronic diseases. It has become a global research priority, yet relatively little is known about it in low- and middle-income countries. South Africa has the largest burden of HIV worldwide but also has a growing burden of non-communicable diseases; potentially leading to uncommon disease combinations.

The SAMRC has welcomed the recent announcement made by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Shionogi) about the execution of a license and technology transfer agreement with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). The announcement also includes a collaboration agreement that aims to significantly transform the landscape of access to antibiotics in 135 countries around the world.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is established in terms of the South African Medical Research Council Act, 1991 (Act No. 58 of 1991) (hereafter referred as the Act). SAMRC is a Schedule 3A public entity reporting to the Ministry of Health, and is mandated, through research, development and technology transfer, to promote the improvement of the health and quality of life of the population of the Republic, and to perform such functions as maybe assigned under the Act.

COVID-19 emerged as a new threat to the global healthcare system and continues to have an incremental impact, both on the health of people and the economy.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) has recently awarded Professor Rob Warren, Director of the SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research (CTR) with an A1-rating, a grading which confirms him as a leading international scholar in his field.