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Rural Public Health and Health Transition

The Rural Public Health and Health Transition Research Unit (also known as the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System), based at Wits University, researches the relationship between health, population and social transitions in rural southern Africa. The Unit’s aim is to inform the public sector (public health systems in particular) and promote social awareness within communities.

Key focus areas

  • Providing a platform to investigate the causes and effects of health, population and social transition issues in rural areas;
  • Testing interventions that address national priorities but that can be applied regionally;
  • Supporting advanced research training;
  • systems to make research data more accessible; and
  • Taking part in a study on the Bushbuckridge district where about 30% of people are former Mozambican refugees.


For more information, visit the SAMRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit's (Agincourt) and INDEPTH Network Websites

Prof Stephen Tollman
Unit Director
  • +27 11 717 2085
  • Stephen.Tollman@wits.ac.za