Wits RHI

24/03/2026

Yes! You and I Can End TB – . affects thousands in South Africa every year. At Wits RHI, our teams fight TB through research, clinical programmes, and vaccine studies, working hand-in-hand with communities to prevent transmission and save lives. Your action counts: screen, test, treat. Together, we can end TB. Learn more: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day/2026 | World Health Organization (WHO) World TB Day 2026.

23/03/2026

Wits RHI at . Join Associate Professor Sibusiso Mkwananzi on 24 March (14:00–17:15, Nairobi) for a powerful session on Extreme Heat & Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH). Discover practical strategies to protect health workers and communities across South Africa and Zimbabwe. Don’t miss out – find out how to join: https://bit.ly/3PzZYkP
HIGH Horizons

20/03/2026

New research shows that clearance of high-risk types can increase a woman’s risk of acquiring . Findings from / highlight the importance of and integrating into cervical cancer programs.
Read more: https://bit.ly/3NiavR8

20/03/2026

Vaccination Making a Difference. New research led by Wits RHI Prof Sinead Delany-Moretlwe shows school-based HPV vaccination is dramatically reducing cancer-causing HPV strains in South African girls including those living with . Wits - University of the Witwatersrand Wits Faculty of Health Sciences

Vaccination programme protects girls even if they later become infected with HIV

20/03/2026

📍Happening TODAY. Climate change is already impacting SRHR. Join this important webinar featuring Wits RHI Prof Sibusiso Mkwananzi as she shares insights on: Climate change & SRHR in South Africa. 11:00–12:30. Webinar link: https://lnkd.in/dQG5ByCZ
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18/03/2026

New research published in The Lancet Global Health provides the first population‑level evidence globally that a national vaccination programme can be highly effective in a high HIV‑prevalence setting. The study was led by researchers from at the Wits - University of the Witwatersrand in partnership with the Kirby Institute.
The study evaluated South Africa’s free, school‑based national vaccination programme, introduced in 2014, which offers HPV vaccination to girls in Grade 4 (aged nine years and older) attending public schools across the country. Crucially, the research assessed vaccine impact among adolescent girls and young women both living with and without HIV, reflecting the realities of South Africa’s dual HIV and cervical cancer burden. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/dGB3f3rQ

18/03/2026

Landmark Study Alert. South Africa’s national HPV vaccination programme is saving lives even among girls living with HIV. For the first time at a population level, researchers show early, school-based HPV vaccination provides excellent protection against cervical cancer. A major public health success and a global message: invest in early HPV vaccination and protect future generations. Read the full press release: https://bit.ly/471SRru

17/03/2026

Did you know? Women living with are up to 6x more likely to develop cervical cancer. New research from KwaZulu-Natal shows: We can change this.
But only if we scale up:
✔️ HIV treatment
✔️ HPV vaccination
✔️ Cervical cancer screening
At Wits RHI, we’re working towards integrated solutions that save lives. Read the full study: https://bit.ly/3PbrJAa

13/03/2026

12/03/2026

Global vaccine leadership in action. Wits RHI’s Prof Helen Rees joined the International Vaccine Institute Board of Trustees retreat, helping shape the institute’s five-year strategy to advance vaccine research and equitable access worldwide.

10/03/2026

Are you passionate about public health?

Wits RHI invites Johannesburg Region F community members to join the Community Advisory Board (CAB). This is an opportunity to make a real difference! Share insights, support HIV, TB, maternal & child health initiatives, and strengthen researcher-community engagement.

Apply online: https://forms.office.com
Apply manually: https://tinyurl.com/y3fztv8v

10/03/2026

Health regulators from across the continent recently gathered for the African Regulatory Leadership Programme, led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Wits RHI and hosted at the Wits Business School. The meeting marked the programme’s second cohort, bringing together seven African leaders dedicated to strengthening regulatory systems in their respective countries. Over four days, participants exchanged insights, addressed shared challenges, and explored ways to advance transparent and collaborative regulatory leadership across Africa. The programme featured leaders from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Medicines Agency , and the African Medicines Agency (AMA), along with other leading health regulatory experts who shared valuable perspectives and practical experiences.

Over the coming year, the cohort will continue their leadership journey through mentorship, collaboration, and peer learning until September 2026. They will also join a growing network of alumni working collectively to strengthen regulatory excellence across the continent and support countries in progressing toward WHO regulatory maturity level standards. - University of the Witwatersrand Wits Faculty of Health Sciences