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Wits RHI has been tackling Africa’s health challenges through science and innovation for over two decades, with an unparalleled track record of implementing sustainable programmes and contributing to health policy.
This web page sets out to highlight the breadth and scope of our work and presents a brief overview of some of our 72 active projects during 2020.
While the projects may focus on the areas of sexual and reproductive health, vaccine and infectious diseases, and other emerging issues, the projects cannot be compartmentalised as single-issue solutions. Intervention in one area, such as sexual and reproductive health, inevitably has a positive impact on another, such as HIV prevention.
We currently have a number of studies that are actively recruiting.
Research Centre, Shandukani and Ward 21 are looking for study participants to join their new and exciting COVID vaccine & antibody and HIV prevention studies.
Click here to download full list of Actively Recruiting Studies
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Accelerating Program Achievements to Control the Epidemic, Lejweleputswa District This programme leverages key innovations to ensure a comprehensive package of services that meets the wide-ranging needs of different patient groups across the HIV and TB continuum of care.
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African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE) The Wits African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE) is a vaccinology flagship programme of the University of the Witwatersrand addressing the need for increasing vaccinology research capacity in the African region, and will offer new opportunities for authoritative global research leadership.
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B-Wise Social Media: Supporting SA Youth with HIV Edutainment Bursts This initiative enables innovative solutions focusing on the HIV preven¬tion among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis.
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A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Observer-Blind, Phase IIb Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Immunogenicity of BCG revaccination in Healthy Adolescents for the Prevention of Sustained Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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The purpose of this project is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of two broadly neutralizing monoclonal human antibodies, 3BNC117-LS-J and 10-1074-LS-J, alone and in combination, intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) to HIV-uninfected adults.
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Care & Treatment Sub Award, Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality This programme aims to improve and expand comprehensive clinical and non-clinical differentiated HIV care and treatment services that will accelerate and sustain HIV epidemic control in South Africa and integrating the COVID-19 contextual requirements.
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An adaptive phase I/II randomized placebo-controlled trial to determine safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of non-replicating ChAdOx1 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in South African adults living without HIV; and safety and immunogenicity in adults living with HIV.
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This project aims to increase women’s agency to consistently and safely use microbicides and mitigate IPV
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Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR) The purpose of this project is to support the development and sustainability of an Africa-centered network dedicated to advancing advocacy, policy, regulatory, community engagement and commun-ications efforts that help accelerate biomedical HIV prevention research
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COVID Vaccine Implementation Science A COVID-19 vaccine plan led by the Implementation Science team.
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A cross-sectional COVID-19 survey involving questionnaires and seroprevalence, with the aim of measuring and understanding COVID-19 perceptions and impacts among residents of Hillbrow.
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The purpose of this project is to assess the effectiveness of the Measles and Rubella (MR) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccines in preventing COVID-19 disease in healthcare workers.
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This project aims to measure acceptability of, and preferences for the DAISY drug delivery platform among two key end-user groups in South Africa (SA): caregivers of HIV-positive children receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and health care providers. |
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DPP (Dual Prevention Pill) for HIV and Pregnancy Prevention: A qualitative formative research study among women and health care providers in Johannesburg, South Africa. The DPP formative study will use focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to understand women’s interest in using a DPP for HIV and pregnancy prevention and gather inputs regarding informational materials needed for DPP introduction, assess DPP acceptability among providers and explore their training needs and recommendations for appropriate service-delivery settings.
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The EDCTP-COREP COVID-19 Household Cluster Investigation This project, led by Wits RHI (as an implementing partner) in the City of Tshwane, aims to increase 90-90-90 outcomes in children and adolescents including the following activities: case-finding for HIV, TB screening, linkage to HIV care, ART initiation, retention in care and viral suppression in the City Tshwane
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ELMA “Unfinished Business” Project This project, led by Wits RHI (as an implementing partner) in the City of Tshwane, aims to increase 90-90-90 outcomes in children and adolescents including the following activities: case-finding for HIV, TB screening, linkage to HIV care, ART initiation, retention in care and viral suppression in the City Tshwane
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This project aims to explore the feasibility of implementing an integrated hybrid model of service delivery for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in South Africa
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This study is being conducted within the setting of tertiary and secondary hospitals and their referring antenatal clinics and midwife obstetric units (MOU) in which the Phase I/II GBS clinical trial takes place. The aim is to estimate the incidence of obstetric and perinatal birth outcomes in a population as similar as possible to the population included in the Phase I/II trial. The data generated from this study will enable contextualization of emergent safety signals.
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GBS6 Vaccine Study (C109-1002) This initiative enables innovative solutions focusing on the HIV prevention among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis.
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This Study is a phase 1/2, randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded Trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a multivalent group b streptococcus vaccine in healthy non pregnant women and pregnant women 18 to 40 years of age and their infants.
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The purpose of this project is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of two broadly neutralizing monoclonal human antibodies, 3BNC117-LS-J and 10-1074-LS-J, alone and in combination, intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) to HIV-uninfected adults.
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Girls Achieve Power (GAP) Year Study This program aims to empower adolescent girls in the areas of health, education, social and economic assets while shifting gender attitudes and encouraging positive behaviour change among adolescent boys. Utilizing an ecological model, GAP Year will work with schools, communities, parents, NGOs and health care facilities to encourage a culture of health and safety. Importantly we will also build the evidence base around the impact of asset-building approaches for adolescents
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The Health Care Worker Health and Wellbeing Study This study focuses on health and mental wellbeing of health workers providing care to patients with COVID-19 in Johannesburg, South Afri¬ca: rapid needs assessment and action research.
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Health Systems Strengthening Overview This project aims to strengthen health systems for better HIV/TB patient outcomes.
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The purpose of this project is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the injectable agent, cabotegravir (CAB LA) compared to daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV-uninfected women.
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The purpose of this project is to evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and Acceptability of Long-Acting Cabotegravir (CAB LA) for the Prevention of HIV among Adolescent Females – A Sub-study of HPTN 084
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HPTN084 CoVPN Preparedness Fund To provide support to Ward 21 CRS #31966, to strengthen their site capacity to participate in large Phase 111 efficacy trials.
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HPV One and Two Dose Population Effectiveness Study (HOPE) The purpose of this project is to monitor the effectiveness of a 2-dose and 1-dose HPV vaccination schedules on community-level HPV prevalence among South African adolescent girls
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HPV Vaccine Impact Evaluation Study The purpose of this project is to monitor the effectiveness of a 2-dose and 1-dose HPV vaccination schedules on community-level HPV prevalence among South African adolescent girls.
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Implementation Experiment to facilitate the creation of an appropriate and receptive environment for effective use of existing and new HIV prevention products to maximize their impact as they become available for AGYW in Gauteng province, South Africa
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Antiretroviral analytical treatment interruption (ATI) to assess immunologic and virologic responses in participants who initiated ART in early HIV infection after having received VRC01 or placebo in HVTN 703/HPTN 081 |
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Integrating PrEP into Comprehensive Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women The project leverages off She Conquers and focuses on effective coordination and collaboration across the different channels (households/community structures, schools, technical and vocational education training (TVETs), public health facilities, and outreach services) informed by mapping of partners and services in the selected sub-districts.
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Integrating HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis and diagnostic STI care: An individualised public health approach (iPrEP-STI). The aim of this study is to engage policy makers, healthcare providers and patients in discrete choice experiments to establish preferences for diagnosis and treatment of STIs and assess the feasibility of integrating these within the South African health-system.
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Jansen ENSEMBLE VAC31518COV3001 HG This project aims to demonstrate the efficacy of AD26.COV2.S in the prevention of molecularly confirmed moderate to severe/critical COVID-19, as compared to Placebo, in SARS-CoV-2 Seronegative adults.
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MIP Longitudinal Study (OPPTIM) This project aims to compare viral load suppression rates (viral load<1000 copies/ml) between HIV-positive postpartum women on first line ART, receiving a package of enhanced viral load monitoring with viral load point of care testing to those receiving standard of care lab-based viral load monitoring
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A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Active Comparator-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of V114 Followed by Administration of PNEUMOVAX™23 Eight Weeks Later in Children Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (PNEU–WAY PED).
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A Phase 3B, Randomized, Open-Label, Safety and Drug Detection Study of Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and Oral TRUVADA ® in Breastfeeding Mother-Infant Pairs.
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The committee serves as a nerve centre to coordinate the internal Wits RHI COVID-19 response and to leverage resources and best prac¬tices between the programmes. This committee response is guided by the Wits RHI Steering committee, PEPFAR and its agencies (USAID, CDC, UNITAID, and ELMA).
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This project aims to assess a Phase 2A/B, randomized, observer-blinded, placebo controlled study to evaluate the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of a SARS-cov-2 recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine (SARS-cov-2 RS) with matrix-m1™ adjuvant in South African adult subjects living without HIV; and safety and immunogenicity in adults living with HIV
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The purpose of this project is to support the development and sustainability of an Africa-centered network dedicated to advancing advocacy, policy, regulatory, community engagement and communications efforts that help accelerate biomedical HIV prevention research
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COVID Vaccine Implementation Science The purpose of this project is to test a stepped model of scalable adherence support strategies in South African young women who initiate PrEP, using a SMART design.
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This program aims to support early product introduction for the dapivirine ring through the Envision FP mechanism with the express goal of shaping the market and establishing a service delivery platform for future MPT VRs.
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A qualitative formative research study among heterosexual men and MSM in South Africa. SAMURAI is a three Aim study to assess acceptability of, and preferences for, novel long-acting PrEP delivery formulation (implant and injectable) use among key end-users.
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School Based HIV and GBV Prevention Programme This program aims to reduce the incidence of HIV infection and violence among adolescents.
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This project aims to support the South African Government to develop, implement, and evaluate a National Sex Worker and Male Client Plan
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A multi-centre, randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single, oral dose of zoliflodacin compared to a Combination of a single intramuscular dose of Ceftriaxone and a single oral dose of azithromycin in the Treatment of patients with uncomplicated gonorrhoea
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A phase III cluster randomised placebo‐controlled trial to assess the efficacy of preventive therapy in child contacts of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB)
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UNITY Healthcare Worker Registry The purpose of this project is to assess the association of potential prophylactic treatments with reduced risk of COVID-19 (or SARS-CoV-2 infection) in HCWs caring for COVID-19 patients
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Virologic failure in South African Children This project aims to explore the description and comparison of four treatment modalities in children failing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in South Africa
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Wits RHI Key Populations Programme This programme aims to provide HTC, prevention technologies including oral PrEP, ART, treatment of STIs, TB screening, sexual and reproductive health services, chronic disease management and treatment of minor ailments, to Sex Workers and Transgender individuals.
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The OPTIMIZE project is lead by a global consortium that aims to ensure the optimization of ART that people living with HIV receive. making sure these are the best-available ART in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.
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STAR – Self-Testing Africa Initiative (UNITAID funded) This project aims to support the NDoH in rolling out HIVSS in South Africa to increase HIV testing especially amongst under-tested, undiagnosed, and test-averse people living in South Africa
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