health research companies in south africa

Making an Impact

Walk-in laboratory | public health research program implementation | impact evaluation.

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We believe in making a positive impact.

An NGO with 21 years of expertise in South African health research, whose journey started in 2001 with the fight against HIV. We then continued this mission by battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Epicentre has two decades of experience in conducting skilled health interventions to combat epidemics. Our interventions have focused on Covid-19, TB, Sexual Transited Infections (STIs), as well as chronic diseases such as cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. We proudly partner with local stakeholders such as government organisations, tertiary institutions, community policing forums and local businesses to implement evidence-based health research programmes, resulting in positive impact across sub-Saharan Africa.

We offer a wide range of services, including HIV status monitoring, private Walk-In Lab testing , discount study testing and health research intervention implementation!

Our branches are located in Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town

No Referral Required

Free Rescheduling & Cancellation

Results in 48-72hrs

Free Results Certificate With Each Test

Test From the Safety of your Vehicle or the Comfort of our Testing Room

Walk-In Lab Testing

Epicentre pathological lab testing available at our branches! When you come to one of our branches you will be able to book a blood pressure test, and a number of other blood tests customisable to your needs.

Helping communities, individuals, organizations, & businesses.

Our Wellness Testing

Proud past & present partners.

The Department of Health, local businesses, colleges, academic institutions, the South African Police Service (SAPS), faith-based community groups, and NGOs are just a few of the key partners with whom Epicentre collaborates to conduct programs.

Epicentre Wellness Testing is done in partnership with ehealth.

Public Health Research

Using established procedures, Epicentre has a plethora of experience in creating high-quality laboratory and interview data, strengthening local survey capacity, providing publicly accessible data to support public health programs, and creating specimen archives for future study. We collaborate diligently as a team, specializing in financially sound scientifically and technologically advanced public health research. We assist our clients and partners to implement their research protocols in partnership with communities and to publish findings that informs policy. Through our research, our goal is to provide a lasting positive impact on society.

Learn more about our public health research work

Implementing

Our programs.

Epicentre aids communities and organisations to assess their health based problems. We then plan, manage and put in place COVID-19, HIV and wellness programs that have proven results. We are then able to look back on these results and evaluate within each organization. That is why we offer a comprehensive product based on a proven model developed by the distinguished Centre for Disease Control (CDC). We also implement skilled evidence-based health interventions within workplaces, health facilities, schools, universities, and communities, with the focus of creating social progress that multiplies into commercial growth which triggers positive impact for the people of South Africa.

Get involved with our programs

Impact Evaluation

At Epicentre, we believe in partnerships to help you deliver the result your communities deserve and your funders expect. That’s why we work with you to do a pre-evaluation in partnership to close gaps before your evaluation.

Get more information now

Past & Current Projects

We have worked on various clinical and impactful projects, with the commencement of various surveys and studies, such as the DREAMS Evaluation Study, the Healthcare UTIlisation and Seroprevalence Survey (HUTS), South Africa’s National COVID-19 Antibody Survey (NCAS), and many others.

Read more about all the projects we are involved in.

Latest news

Keep up to date with all the latest developments within the company right here

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Hillcrest testing locations

031 880 2150 [email protected]

Mon – Fri (8:30 to 16:00)

Cape Town testing locations

021 201 1658 [email protected]

Johannesburg testing locations

082 065 2172 [email protected]

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072 843 7564

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LT Clinical Research

Your Contract Research & Healthcare Partner in Africa

LT Clinical Research (Pty) Ltd is an independent regional contract clinical trial management organization (CRO) and healthcare commercialization company based in South Africa. Qualified healthcare professionals founded the company in 2009. We provide clinical trial project management and monitoring including regulatory communication services across Africa to global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices companies. We also provide healthcare commercialization services to startup entities and established innovator companies that need to enter the South African marketplace.

LT Clinical Research provides a full range of expert services in the following areas:

Clinical trial project management and monitoring services.

conduct Phase I-IV contract clinical trials across Africa on behalf of international and local sponsors.

Regulatory Communication Services

support sponsor companies to navigate complex regulatory submissions.

Healthcare Commercialization Services

assist and support companies and innovators in the commercialization of bio-health innovation.

GxP Consulting Services

offer hands-on assistance and support to achieve cGMP and GLP compliant quality management systems.

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List of Contract Research Organizations in South Africa

Featured cros, across global in south africa.

E-mail:   [email protected]

Web:   www.across.global

Guosa Life Sciences

Address: Foyer 3 1st Floor, The Colosseum, Century Way, Century City, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa 

Phone:   +1 516-859-4312

Celero provides optimal returns to innovative biotechs & pharmaceutical companies by addressing unmet needs, accelerating clinical development and commercialising innovative healthcare products.Trial mismanagement is the main reason why 85%-90% o...

FARMOVS can accelerate your product development through innovative ICH GCP compliant phase 1- 2a clinical research. Since 1974 more than 3000 trials have been conducted at our world-class clinical research facility. We have a large GLP certified bioa...

For over 35 years, PAREXEL has proven to be a trusted partner for the complex development journey required of biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. We’re also an astute guide, able to simplify that journey for our clients, so safe new...

Local, small- and mid-size Contract Research Organizations in South Africa

ACRO is a private company, launched in August 2007 offering services both in Southern Africa and in other African regions. We offer services to donor-funded organisations, non-governmental organisations, government institutions, research institutions... View full profile

• South Africa

CMOCRO.com is a PharmaCircle company that provides a free listing of service companies within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostic and medical device industries around the globe. The company profile information covers the full spectrum of se... View full profile

With over 25 years of invaluable experience, CR Integration proudly maintains strong professional relationships with sponsor companies, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), Clinical Research Associates (CRAs), Clinical Trial Assistants (CTAs), and... View full profile

FARMOVS can accelerate your product development through innovative ICH GCP compliant phase 1- 2a clinical research. Since 1974 more than 3000 trials have been conducted at our world-class clinical research facility. We have a large GLP certified bioa... View full profile

Key Oncologics (Pty) Ltd is a South African pharmaceutical company that primarily focuses on the treatment of cancer and allied diseases.The company was founded in 1998 representing international companies that do not have an independent presence in... View full profile

OnQ Research was founded more than ten years ago as a monitoring consultancy. It has since evolved into a full service Contract Research Organization. OnQ Research is based in Johannesburg, with a satellite office in Cape Town. One of the earliest... View full profile

Siri Technologies Consulting Services offer dedicated IT consulting services to small, medium and large companies creating a door way to hire fresh, qualified, enthusiastic, highly talented and experienced professionals. Our innovative strategies ass... View full profile

Full-service CRO with an unwavering focus delivering high quality, on-time and cost-effective clinical research. While our impeccable reputation in anti-infective research and development has been at the core of our growth, we have extended that repu... View full profile

• United Kingdom
• United States

Global Contract Research Organizations in South Africa

ACROSS Global is a unique, full-service, comprehensive alliance of qualified CROs and Specialist Service Providers dedicated to providing a professional, cost-effective, focused, and seamless service to the pharmaceutical, biopharma and medical devic... View full profile

• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Congo, DR of
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates

Celero provides optimal returns to innovative biotechs & pharmaceutical companies by addressing unmet needs, accelerating clinical development and commercialising innovative healthcare products.Trial mismanagement is the main reason why 85%-90% o... View full profile

• Netherlands

Established in 1995, Dokumeds has been expanding its coverage and services significantly over 25 years of operations. Gradual geographical and operational coverage expansion correlated with company staff growth and lowering of employee turnover to an... View full profile

• Czech Republic

As a provider of comprehensive Phase I through IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology, patient access solutions and other enabling services, Fortrea partners with emerging and large biopharma and medical device and diagnostic companies t... View full profile

• New Zealand

Since our foundation in Dublin, Ireland in 1990, our mission has been to help our clients to accelerate the development of drugs and devices that save lives and improve quality of life. We are a global provider of consulting, and outsourced developme... View full profile

Our unique global partnering philosophy emphasizes an uncompromising commitment to clinical research and to the highest level of ethical standards and performance in our jobs. We are selective about the projects we engage in because we are devoted to... View full profile

For over 35 years, PAREXEL has proven to be a trusted partner for the complex development journey required of biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. We’re also an astute guide, able to simplify that journey for our clients, so safe new produ... View full profile

PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and lifecycle management services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and go... View full profile

Our mission is to be the best CRO in the world as measured by our employees, clients, investigators, and vendors. Our teams work tirelessly to ensure that we deliver on time and on budget. You will always know what's going on with your study when you... View full profile

Quanticate is a leading global data-focused Clinical Research Organization (CRO) which may also be known as a 'Biometric CRO'. Quanticate is primarily focused on the management, analysis and reporting of data from clinical trials and post-marketing s... View full profile

Life sciences services from SGS – optimize your development timelines to get medicines and medical devices to market quickly and safely. There is no other area of business that is more heavily regulated than the development, testing and distribution... View full profile

• Burkina Faso
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Papua New Guinea
• Saint Lucia
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turkmenistan

Syneos Health (Nasdaq:SYNH) is the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization purpose-built to accelerate customer success. We lead with a product development mindset, strategically blending clinical development, medical affairs a... View full profile

Synexus is a company dedicated to conducting clinical studies and have been investigating the effectiveness of new medicines and treatments for more than 20 years. We provide a friendly, relaxed environment where you have the chance to help shape the... View full profile

List of CROs by location

Welcome to OnQ

The african contract research organisation.

We are ideally placed to understand the nuances of conducting clinical research in African countries.

We're Committed to Helping You Run Successful Trials

Talk to us about doing clinical trials in africa, onq joins the p95 family, about onq sa, we are the african cro you can trust, we have been in the industry for over 20 years.

Established in 1999, OnQ Research has conducted more than 500 clinical trials in more than 10 African countries. Our clinical study sizes range from 1 to 3000 participants.

The OnQ Difference

We are dedicated to empowering the African continent through safe trials.

Catherine Lund

Our service offerings, we help you execute clinical trials successfully, project management services.

OnQ provides end-to-end project management solutions for the entire lifecyle of clinical trials

Mobile Nursing Services

Facilitating safe direct to patient services through home nursing.

Data Management Services

OnQ designs protocols and databases according to standard conventions.

Quality Assurance Services

OnQ collaborates with medical practitioners to ensure regulatory compliance throughout the clinical study lifecycle.

Medical Monitoring Services

OnQ has medical monitoring expertise from protocol design to clinical study report writing.

Vendor Management Services

Vendor mangement services.

OnQ centralises vendor management to simplify eco-system collaboration and study efficacy.

Pharmacovigilence Services

OnQ is fully committed to patient safety at all stages of clinical trials.

Medical Writing Services

OnQ supports medical practitioners to deliver regulatory-compliant clinical trial documents.

Site Management Services

OnQ performs site management services on site and remotely to ensure that the rights and well-being of study participants are protected.

Study Participants

Research sites, professionals, company achievement, popular service, take a look our unmatched consulting approach.

• Strategy & Innovation
• Quality Compliance
• Sales & Marketing
• Data Analytics

Management Consulting and Strategy Consulting

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• Static Innovations
• Consulting & Advisory
• Turnaround Situations

Meet Our Leadership Team

Managing Director & Founder

Teresa Scanes

System Operations Director

Nyeleti Rikhotso

Clinical Operations Director

Nyeleti Rickhotso

Work with us, meet our professional team.

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Judson S. Gooden

Web Designer

Careers at OnQ

We are always looking for talent. send your cv, clinical research associates.

We are always on the lookout for talented Junior to Senior CRAs

• Any time, just share your cv

Project Managers

We offer all levels of opportunities for PM roles

• Anytime, just share your CV

Quality Assurance Specialists

Talented professionals with QA & Pharmacovigilance wanted

• Anytime, simply share your CV

Strong African Presence

We are in over 10 african countries, are you ready to work with us, request a call back, build a better career with us.

• [email protected]
• +27 11 431 0791

FACILITATE  |  EDUCATE  |  MENTOR  | ADVOCATE  

Positioning South Africa at the Forefront of Clinical Research

Stay updated with the latest information at www.sacoronavirus.co.za

About SACRA

A Distinct Identity

The South African Clinical research association (SACRA)  is an industry community association with the sole purpose of leading and serving as a conduit within the clinical trials community. SACRA is a non-profit organisation representing the clinical research industry in South Africa.

SACRA's Purpose

To lead and serve as a conduit across the various stakeholders, positioning the country at the forefront of clinical research both nationally and internationally.

SACRA's Values

SCIENTIFIC-RIGOUR

INCLUSIVITY

Latest News

We work hard to get our efforts noticed by the media and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. A well informed community is an empowered one as well, so take a look at some of the latest coverage we’ve received below and help spread the word about all the amazing developments at SACRA.

Shipping Forum - Export/Import of Health Products Processess

SACRA AGM 10 April 2024 - Presentations published

Upcoming Programme: Clinical Research Education Program

Upcoming Events

We love hearing from SACRA stakeholders

If you have any news or comments, send them to us now!

Please send your comments and suggestions to

[email protected]

Thanks for submitting!

Contact us: +27 21 931 7825

Email: [email protected]

TREAD is a large, award-winning clinical trial unit, affiliated with the University of Stellenbosch, and attached to the Cardiology Unit of Tygerberg Hospital, Parow, South Africa

Sanofi Premier Site

Quintiles Partner Site

Pfizer INSPIRE Site

Medpace Flagship Site

• Official Accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs
• Certificates of Excellence for Exceptional Site Contribution and Trial Conduct
• Most Innovative Clinical Research Organisation 2020
• Cardiology Clinical Trials Unit of the Year 2021

SUCCESSFUL AUDITS BY

· American FDA

· Number of local and international pharmaceutical research companies and clinical research organisations

Track record of studies completed:

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• Education of Patients
• Patient Outreach
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Website developed and maintained by Nebula Designs

ADVERTISEMENT

In a bold move to improve the health of people locally and globally, two research giants in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are joining forces to form a ground-breaking new interdisciplinary institute to fight tuberculosis (TB), HIV and related diseases.

The new organization, the Africa Health Research Institute, is located at the heart of South Africa’s TB and HIV co-epidemic. It combines the renowned Africa Centre for Population Health’s detailed population data from over 100 000 participants, with the KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for TB-HIV’s (K-RITH’s) basic science, experimental medicine and world-class laboratory facilities.

The new venture is made possible through R1.2-billion in grants from Wellcome Trust and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), with UCL (University College London) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) as significant academic partners.

The Africa Health Research Institute’s interdisciplinary ‘population to laboratory – and back to population ’ approach to addressing the TB and HIV co-epidemic comes at a critical moment. Despite advances in antiretroviral therapy and talk of the ‘end of AIDS,’ HIV and HIV-related TB remain devastating diseases -- with TB among the leading causes of death in South Africa. The province of KZN has the highest HIV burden, while TB is responsible for more than 14 percent of all deaths in KZN. The emergence of drug resistant strains of TB and HIV meanwhile present a major public health crisis.  

The Africa Health Research Institute is committed to working towards the elimination of HIV and TB. To achieve this, the institute will bring together leading researchers from different fields, use cutting-edge science to improve people’s health, and help to train the next generation of African scientists.

Wellcome Trust and HHMI are two of the largest funders of biomedical research and the establishment of the Africa Health Research Institute represents the first time these organizations have partnered in the global health arena. The complementary strengths of our partner institutions allow a broader scope of interdisciplinary, translational research that is relevant both locally and internationally and is underpinned by strong policy engagement.

Professor Deenan Pillay, Director of the Africa Centre for Population Health, and incoming Director of the Africa Health Research Institute, said: "KwaZulu-Natal is at the center of the dual epidemics of HIV and TB. This is the one place in the world where the marrying of disciplines can have maximum impact on new HIV infections and TB transmission. We will link clinical and laboratory-based studies with social science, health systems research and population studies to make fundamental discoveries about these killer diseases, as well as demonstrating how best to reduce morbidity and mortality.”

Ongoing research areas include:

• The longest running population-based HIV Treatment as Prevention (TasP) trial in Africa
• An innovative research project on human lung granuloma biology, involving close collaboration with surgeons performing lung resections at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and King Dinuzulu Hospital Complex
• Applying genomics to better understand TB drug resistance

The laboratory facilities at the K-RITH Tower Building in Durban include state-of-the-art Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) labs, which allow scientists to safely work with dangerous airborne diseases such as TB. We are also host to Africa’s only microfluidic chip-making foundry, where scientists are working to develop low-cost, sample-in-answer-out disease diagnostic devices to address the HIV and TB epidemics.

The Africa Health Research Institute’s research is truly collaborative: we work with over 60 academic and clinical institutions in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa and the world.

Professor David Lomas, UCL Vice-Provost (Health) said: “UCL takes a collaborative approach to tackling major global challenges and forging successful partnerships is a key priority and strength of the School of Life and Medical Sciences. Our commitment to the Africa Health Research Institute builds on our role as one of the world’s leading centres for biomedical research. The Africa Health Research Institute will become a significant global partner for UCL, in line with our Global Engagement Strategy, and will strengthen the translation of our research into new therapies that address the HIV/TB co-epidemic and benefit human health.”

Professor Mike Turner, Wellcome Trust Acting Director of Science and Head of Infection Biology, said: “The investment by Wellcome and others in South African health research has undoubtedly improved the lives of people with HIV over the past 15 years. But growing resistance to HIV and TB treatments, and stubbornly high infection rates, mean we must redouble our efforts if we are going to sustain our hard-won progress.

“Long-standing threats such as TB, HIV and increasingly the non-communicable diseases, will only be solved with a strong research base which combines different approaches. Individuals and teams at the Africa Health Research Institute will play a leading role in shaping and driving world class, locally driven and relevant research that improves human health. Ultimately, solutions to health crises will be driven by African scientists and, increasingly, African investment.”  

HHMI President Robert Tjian said: “We believe this new research center is well positioned to make the critical scientific advances needed to improve our understanding of and advance treatment for these two deadly infectious diseases. The unification of these institutes makes possible a spectrum of research previously unimagined by either the Africa Centre or K-RITH separately.”

UKZN spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said: “The unification is a major achievement. It maximizes the opportunities for impact of world leading research on the twin epidemics of HIV and TB.”

About the Wellcome Trust

Wellcome exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. We’re a global charitable foundation, both politically and financially independent. We support scientists and researchers, take on big problems, fuel imaginations and spark debate. www.wellcome.ac.uk external link, opens in a new tab

About the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute plays an important role in advancing scientific research and education in the United States. Its scientists, located across the country and around the world, have made important discoveries that advance both human health and our fundamental understanding of biology. The Institute also aims to transform science education into a creative, interdisciplinary endeavour that reflects the excitement of real research. HHMI’s headquarters are located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. www.hhmi.org

About UCL (University College London)

UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world’s top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 35,000 students from 150 countries and over 11,000 staff. Our annual income is more than £1 billion.

UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences brings together four UCL faculties (Brain Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Population Health Sciences) to create one of the largest and most prestigious groupings of academics in biomedical, life and population health sciences. According to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 we are the UK’s strongest medical research grouping and we have the greatest amount of world leading research covering medicine and biological sciences. www.ucl.ac.uk external link, opens in a new tab

About the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)  

UKZN is recognised as one of South Africa’s top research-focused universities. It is one of the largest universities in sub-Saharan Africa, with five campuses in the two cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. HIV/AIDS, TB and Health Promotion is one of UKZN’s key research focus areas. The University has committed itself and its resources to the common good of society. www.ukzn.ac.za external link, opens in a new tab

Note: As of July 2016, K-RITH is now the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI).

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Get the latest news and information from government on COVID-19 in South Africa here

Africa Health Research Institute

• Adrie Steyn
• Alison Grant
• Collins Iwuji
• Frank Tanser
• Guy Harling
• Henrik Kløverpris
• Ingrid Bassett
• Janet Seeley
• Kobus Herbst
• Limakatso Lebina
• Mark Siedner
• Maryam Shahmanesh
• Moherndran Archary
• Mohlopheni Marakalala
• Natsayi Chimbindi
• Nceba Gqaleni
• Nigel Klein
• Nothando Ngwenya
• Nuala McGrath
• Philip Goulder
• Refiloe Masekela
• Thumbi Ndung’u
• Till Bärnighausen
• Xanthe Hunt
• Zaza Ndhlovu

Optimal health and well-being of under- resourced populations

AHRI celebrates Youth Month with Iyonayona Fun Run

New study reveals effective strategy to improve HIV prevention in South Africa

Research shows early life immunity increases HIV cure/remission in male infants

Looking for something in particular.

• Tell me more about AHRI
• I’m interested in your research
• Take me to your publications

Meet the AHRI scientists

Professor Frank Tanser

Professor Frank Tanser is a South African scientist whose research aims to evaluate and design intervention strategies to drive back the HIV epidemic and its negative consequences in communities hardest hit by the epidemic. His pivotal work over the past 25 years has provided substantial insights into the evolving and dynamic nature of the HIV epidemic and its key drivers, informing HIV prevention and treatment efforts in sub-Sah...

About CRISA

Clinical Research Institute of South Africa

Clinical Research Institute of South Africa (CRISA), Proprietary Limited. The purpose of CRISA is to conduct clinical research in South Africa in collaboration with Department of Health on projects that lead to optimised care for patients and promote a public health approach to research and treatment. CRISA aims to integrate clinical research into the clinical pathway in hospitals and clinics in iLembe Health District. more

Department Of Health

In KwaZulu Natal, most Clinical Research centres are situated in eThekwini District. To ensure equity of access to health support services, the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health and Clinical Research Institute of South Africa (CRISA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to govern the work of CRISA in iLembe.

Ilembe District Municipality

The iLembe District is situated on the East Coast of South Africa in the Province of KwaZulu Natal. It is in close proximity to the King Shaka International Airport and the Dube Trade Port. it is made up of four health sub-districts, namely Mandeni, KwaDukuza, Maphumulo and Ndwedwe.

KwaDukuza Minicipality

CRISA is situated at number 154 Goolam Suleman Street (Old Hulett Street) KwaDukuza Municipal area of jurisdiction, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Located 250m south of General Justice Ginzenga Mpanza Hospital (former Stanger Hospital)and approximately 800m north west of KwaDukuza Clinic. The site has accessibility and visibility to public transport route.

Operation Sukuma Sakhe

CRISA has an obligation to implement effective stakeholder engagement programme to build a platform of mutually beneficial, sustained relationships between trial sponsors, site and community where CRISA conducts clinical research. Through Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS), a diverse cultural, transparent and respectful platform is created to address interests of community stakeholders.

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March 4, 2024

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Big companies like Nestlé are funding health research in South Africa—why this is wrong

by Susan Goldstein, Mark Tomlinson, Rachel Wynberg and Tanya Doherty, The Conversation

In 2021, the director of the African Research University Alliance Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of Pretoria was appointed to the board of the transnational food corporation Nestlé.

At the time a group of more than 200 senior academics wrote an open letter, about conflicts of interest. Nestlé's portfolio of foods, by its own admission , includes more than 60% that don't meet the definition of healthy products.

In December last year, the same center announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Nestlé. It signaled their intent to "forge a transformative partnership" to shape "the future of food and nutrition research and education" and transform " Africa's food systems ".

This is not an isolated case.

Across African universities, companies with products that are harmful to health fund health-related research and education.

Nestlé, for example, "shares expertise" with "eight universities in Africa".

These include the Institute of Applied Science and Technology at the University of Ghana and the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques in Côte d'Ivoire.

Activities funded under agreements with universities include internships, seminars and training programs as well as sponsorships for graduate research students.

In South Africa, Nestlé has funded a prize in pediatrics for final year medical students at the University of the Witwatersrand . It also funds a two-year pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Stellenbosch University.

Bias—even if it's unconscious

Financial links between corporations and academic institutions are well known to lead to conflicts of interest.

A 2017 paper , Industry sponsorship and Research Outcome, found that " industry funding leads researchers to favor corporations either consciously or unconsciously".

Those advising governments and charities on dietary policy warn how "current or past financial or personal associations with interested parties make it difficult to distinguish subtle, unconscious bias from deliberately concealed impropriety ."

Other research found that of 168 industry-funded studies, 156 (93%) showed biased results , all in favor of industry sponsors.

In 2018 around 13% of research articles published in the top 10 most-cited nutrition journals were backed by and favorable to the food industry . Such backing is often hidden.

A growing problem

The world is facing a pandemic of non-communicable diseases —hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer—all linked to the consequences of poor nutrition such as stunting and obesity .

A 2023 Lancet commission reports that "just four industry sectors already account for at least a third of global deaths" , one of which is unhealthy food.

These four industry sectors are expanding their markets in Africa and elsewhere in the global south where the inadequate regulation of the sales and marketing of unhealthy foods, drinks, alcohol, tobacco and agrichemical products provides opportunities for corporations to exploit.

Where there's smoke …

The most well-known commercial products that harm health are tobacco-related, now widely regulated to decrease harm.

The tobacco industry used many tactics to prevent their regulation . They funded research and whole institutions to produce "evidence" to support the industry or sow doubt about the harmful impacts of tobacco.

In 2019 public health academics at the University of Cape Town in South Africa discovered that the psychiatry department had accepted funding from the Philip Morris Foundation for a Smoke-Free World .

The department subsequently cancelled the contract. This followed outrage from the broader university community. In 2020, the UCT Council adopted a policy disallowing any employee from accepting funding from the tobacco industry.

In another example scientific research published in 1967 implicated saturated fat as the main cause of heart disease. In so doing it downplayed the role of sugar . It took over 40 years to uncover that this research was paid for by the sugar industry.

The decline in research funding in South Africa means that academics need to be especially vigilant. We need to protect our higher education institutions from research bias.

It is not enough to simply declare these interests and assume that this will eliminate the conflict of interest.

Instead, public health academics need to develop much more robust systems to manage conflicts of interest at all levels of academia.

Governance structures at universities need mechanisms to respond to initiatives which run counter to public health.

The Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Cape Town has called for the end to sponsorship by infant formula milk companies for education, research or policy development.

An online course and toolkit for research ethics committees on conflict of interest in health research provides some practical guidance .

These and other initiatives point the way forward for universities to be alert to the dangers of these "gift relationships" and to be better equipped to protect their integrity.

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About Mthente Research and Consulting Services

The meaning of mthente.

Mthente is a Zulu word for thorn tree. The thorn tree aptly epitomises the nature and character of our company: the thorns symbolise the resilience and robustness of the firm; the delicate leaves, on the other hand, denote the company’s sensitivity and adaptability to the socio-economic, political and business contexts in which it operates.

Mthente draws inspiration from the Zulu proverb Umthente Uhlaba Usamila, which loosely means that building character in children or young people at an early stage of their development will equip them with the tools to cope with dangers and risks later in their lives. This idiom accords with our company’s belief and commitment to help our clients tackle their problems at the root before they ultimately spiral out of control.

Our core ethos is a guarantee of innovative, cost-effective and high quality research and business solutions for our clients.

Our unique team of research specialists includes experienced experts in applied social and policy research, trade and economics, business administration, and monitoring and evaluation. Mthente is an accredited Level 1 B-BBEE enterprise. In addition, Mthente is accredited by the Southern African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA).

Mthente strives for professionalism and quality through listening, learning and responding for mutual growth. Our core ethos is a guarantee of innovative, cost-effective and high quality research and business solutions for our clients.

At Mthente we value integrity, growth and excellence. We are passionate about our business and are committed to providing value and quality to our clients and partners through hard work, professionalism and open communication. We believe in and embrace the spirit of ubuntu* as an essential component of the way we do business.

Heidi Villa -Vicencio- Managing Director

MBA (Distinction), University of Warwick (UK), 2004 MA History, University of Cape Town, 1995

Heidi is the Founder and Managing Director of Mthente Research and Consulting Services. As Mthente’s Managing Director, she uses her skills and over 25 years’ of professional experience to facilitate and direct strategy, manage stakeholder engagement initiatives, and help researchers to analyse results in a way that is informed by intelligence from the market that tells both the design of products and value propositions.

Heidi is a member of the Southern African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA).  She started her career at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in 1994. This was followed by five years working as a consultant in the United Kingdom where she consulted for numerous blue-chip organisations. 

Over the last 17 years, Heidi has overseen all the evaluations undertaken by Mthente.  These have included the evaluation of the National Prosecuting Authority’s Community Prosecutor Programme (CPI), a three-year evaluatory initiative to determine the impact of the pilot programme and the three-year longitudinal evaluation for the Department of Small Business Development on SMMEs and Co-Operatives within South Africa, the Wards Based Door to Door HIV and AIDS Programme for the Gauteng Department of Health, The Health Care Workshop Evaluation for the Office of the Premier, Gauteng and the baseline study evaluation on Sexual Violence Against Girls in Schools in South Africa Programme for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.  Heidi has also been the Project Director for the World Vision EVOKE: Lears for Literacy Pilot in Limpopo and for the World Vision pilot in partnership with the Pearson Institute of Higher Education in Tembisa, Gauteng.  

Heidi has advanced expertise in Board Evaluations, having evaluated and conducted strategy for a number of leading organisations, including Old Mutual, Aspol Insurance, the University of Cape Town, Fairtrade South Africa, the Cape Town Fashion Council, Western Cape Tourism, Trade and Investment (WESGRO) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

Ishreen Ismail- Research Director

PhD in Psychology, the University of Cape Town (Current)

MA Research Psychology (Cum Laude), University of the Western Cape (2014)

Ishreen Ismail completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Cape Town as well as an Honours and Master’s degree (Cum Laude) in Research Psychology at the University of the Western Cape. Following her Master’s degree, she registered as a Research Psychologist with the Health practitioner’s council of South Africa (HPCSA) and was employed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for almost 5 years, where she worked on psychological research in a military and defence force setting. Following her work at the CSIR she took up a position as a psychologist and behavioural scientist at SQN where she managed a range of quantitative and measurement validation projects. Ishreen is currently enrolled for a PhD in Psychology at the University of Cape Town and expects to complete the degree in 2023.  Her key research skills are in the areas of monitoring and evaluation, as well as research measurement design and validation.    

Ishreen has conducted numerous evaluations as either a lead evaluator or senior researcher. She worked as a monitoring evaluation specialist on a community prosecution evaluation for the ISS which had a budget of just under R5 million. In 2020/2021 she was the lead evaluator for an evaluation for the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) on the effectiveness of a pilot model to strengthen gender-responsive pedagogy in early childhood education in 72 centers/schools in KwaZulu-Natal province. The budget for this evaluation was just over R1 500 000. She is currently working on a Longitudinal Evaluation of the Columba Youth Leadership Programme, a 4-year project with a budget of over R2 000 000.

Furthermore, Ishreen has managed the evaluation and research teams on several other projects carried out by Mthente which includes a longitudinal study for the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) which had a budget of R2 000 000, an evaluation for the French Embassy in South Africa, evaluation for HWSETA and an evaluation for the Oceana group, amongst others.

Sindile Khani- Senior Researcher

Masters in Criminology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2017

Postgraduate Diploma in M&E, Stellenbosch University, 2018

Sindile is a Senior M&E Researcher for Mthente. Sindile completed his postgraduate diploma from Stellenbosch University and has a sound understanding of monitoring and evaluation methodologies. At Mthente Sindile has worked on numerous Monitoring & Evaluation and Impact Assessments. A list of projects that Sindile has worked on includes:

Criminology related projects: ● Baseline, midline and endline evaluation of the Community Prosecution Initiative (CPI) for the Institute of Security Studies in Collaboration with the National Prosecution Authorities. ● Development of a monitoring framework for APCOF to systematically track the implementation of SAHRC recommendations by SAPS ● Co-lead evaluation in supporting the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) workstream with the revision of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) implementation framework and finalisation of the NACS implementation plan and its corresponding framework

Impact evaluation projects ● An evaluation of the Gauteng Informal Business Upliftment Strategy for the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. ● An impact evaluation of the Small-Scale Fishers (SSFs) training programme for Oceana ● An impact assessment of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)’s Professional Development Programme (PDP). ● Co-lead researcher of a longitudinal evaluation of the Columba Values-Based Leadership Programme for the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM) ● Researcher manager for the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in assessing the extent to which the animal improvement scheme, Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo contributed to the economic transformation and commercialisation of the smallholder livestock sector. ● Researcher manager in the research on the effectiveness of the pilot model to strengthen gender-responsive pedagogy in early childhood education in 72 centres/schools in KwaZulu-Natal province for the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) ● Research Manager Monitoring and Evaluation Accountability and Learning Technical Support for Save the Children South Africa provides a map/track of the interactions of Save the Children beneficiaries with the programme offerings.

General Research ● Lead researcher of the Stakeholder Review for Zenex ● Lead researcher of the stakeholder survey for the Armaments Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (Armscor) ● Lead researcher of the stakeholder survey for the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa ● Lead researcher of an organisational survey for Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) ● Research Manager in a research on impact of the Incremental Introduction of African languages in the former Model C schools on behalf of The Pan South Africa Language Board (PanSALB).

Diane Oaker- Junior Researcher

Diane joined Mthente in February 2009 and has assisted with fieldwork supervision and managing the fieldwork team for qualitative and quantitative data collection. 

Recently, Diane had managed project logistics for the following projects:

• Save The Children South Africa on the skill development and livelihood programs for children on the move in South Africa.
• Evaluation of the 2020/2021 University of Forthare (UFH) FASSET Academic Support programme.
• Impact assessment of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)’s Professional Development Programme (PDP).
• Evaluation for the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB)
• Institutional Assessment & Mapping of Return and Reintegration Services in South Africa for IOM South Africa. 
• Due Diligence Study, Tshikululu. 
• Data collection for the Special Economic Zones, Department of Small Business Development (DSBD)
• Outcomes and impact assessment for The Innovation Hub.

She has since been appointed as a Junior Researcher, she has been assisting with analysis and report writing for projects such as the Zenex Foundation stakeholder review and SANEDI cultural survey. 

Ariq Chetty- Research Logistics Assistant

Ariq Chetty is the newest member of Mthente. He has previous experience in sales and logistics. At Mthente, he has been involved in numerous projects for clients such as HWSETA, FEM, Cornell University, ISS, and Oceana. He has successfully managed the fieldworkers on various projects and has conducted surveys as well as interviews with key stakeholders and government officials. Ariq’s key strengths are his ability to actively manage large groups of fieldworkers who are out in the field as well as his ability to conduct in-depth interviews.

Our Associates

Dr nedson pophiwa- m&e expert.

PhD Economic History, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2018; MA Forced Migration Studies, 2009

Dr Nedson Pophiwa is a research, monitoring and evaluation expert with over a decade of experience in leading several projects for various clients and sectors. He is currently a Senior Researcher at the National Consumer Commission, where he heads the research, records and knowledge, management division. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Witwatersrand’s Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results in Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA). He previously worked for the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Africa Institute of South Africa. Dr Nedson Pophiwa begins his new role as a Senior Lecturer in Public Governance and Monitoring and Evaluation at the Wits School of Governance on 1 July 2021.

For the past decade, Dr Pophiwa has been involved in several research and monitoring and evaluation projects within South Africa and the region. He worked in different capacities as principal investigator, data analyst and report writer on projects commissioned by ministries, provincial government departments, local government and donors. Concerning M&E projects, Nedson has played a significant role from start to end of several projects. Examples include being a co-principal investigator in an evaluation of training programmes offered by the Local Government SETA, and a team member in evaluating the implementation of constitutional court judgements, a project funded by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Nedson also played a crucial role in the facilitation of the theory of change for the Commission for Gender Equality during its twenty-year review process. He has also conducted quality assurance for evaluation reports produced by public organisations and consulting firms.

Not only does Nedson possess vast experience, in managing research and evaluation projects but management experience within the public service. As an EXCO member at the Commission, Nedson has played a significant role in the formulation of policy. An example is that at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, he was part of a team, which contributed to the formulation of Regulations on price gauging that were then promulgated by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition in March 2020. In the past, he has also been involved in evaluating public policies, for example in 2014 he was part of the HSRC team that conducted an evaluation of the Immigration legislation of South Africa and presented findings to the minister. He is well versed with methodologies for evaluating public sector policies, programmes and projects.

Nedson has published several peer-reviewed publications and read papers at international and national conferences. He co-edited a book titled, “The evaluation landscape in Africa” which contributes to debates on monitoring and evaluation in Africa.

Rochelle Jacobs- Economist

Masters (Economics), Stellenbosch University

Economist & Lead Researcher Ms Rochelle Jacobs completed her honours in 2016 where she worked in mathematical modelling and econometric analysis. Her Honours thesis was selected as the Stellenbosch University entry for the Founders Medal – a national competition between all South African universities to establish the best thesis in various categories.

Further, Rochelle also presented her Honours thesis at the Annual Post-Graduate Economics Conference, held at the University of Cape Town in 2016. Rochelle has a Master’s degree in economics. During her post-graduate studies, Rochelle completed courses and research assignments in Advanced Time Series Analysis and Advanced Cross-Section and Panel Data Analysis, enabling her to conduct detailed statistical analysis.

Rochelle was Mthente’s lead researcher on:

• The Annual Review of SMMEs and Cooperatives in South Africa for the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA)
• Longitudinal study on SMME’s and Co-operatives in South Africa for the Department of small business development
• Electrum value-added services report

Dr Guy Lamb- Justice & Criminal Justice Expert

Ph.D. in Criminology and Masters and Honours degree in International and Comparative Politics from UCT.

Dr Guy Lamb is the BA International Studies Programme Leader within the Political Science Department at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa). He also serves as a commissioner with the high-level National Planning Commission (Presidency of the Republic of South Africa) where he chairs the Commission’s Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Task Team. Between 2012 and 2020 he was the Director of the Safety and Violence Initiative at the University of Cape Town. Prior to this he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Security Studies (2006-2012), and Senior Researcher at the Centre for Conflict Resolution (2000-2005).

He is a National Research Foundation rated researcher and has undertaken research and published on crime and violence reduction, urban safety, policing and peace-building issues in Africa for more than 25 years. He has worked with numerous governments and various United Nations agencies on peace and security issues. Dr Lamb has lead two research projects on xenophobic violence in South Africa, both funded by USAID.

Dr Ariane Neethling

PhD Statistics, University of Witwatersrand, 2004 MSc Statistics (Cum laude), Potchefstroom University, 1988

Ariane gained experience as biometrist at the Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC); as chief statistician at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC); as lecturer at the University of Pretoria where she was involved in the university’s statistical consultation service Statomet; and as a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch University. She is also part of a research team in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Stellenbosch University, examining weighting techniques and statistical analyses of complex sampling data, including poverty and inequality measures and small area estimation.

Ariane is Mthente’s statistical consultant and sampling expert. As a sampling expert for both Mthente and other market research companies, she is responsible for the designing and drawing of samples ranging from countrywide samples and tracker samples to samples from smaller populations with unique characteristics. She is responsible for the calculation of the design weights for the realised samples; and also applies benchmarking techniques, where necessary. For some projects she also conducts statistical analysis and draws statistical inferences based on the survey data.

Ariane is part of a team that constructed an Enumerator Area (EA) sampling frame and is responsible for updating it annually to the newest released mid-year population estimates of Statistics South Africa (StatsSA). At the moment this is the most up-to-date sampling frame available in South Africa. She has served as a member of the South African Statistical Council since 2013. She is a member of the South African Statistical Association (SASA) as well as the International Association of Survey Statisticians (IASS), and is registered as a Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP). Ariane has used her statistical expertise in various projects that Mthente has undertaken including survey work for the following clients (among others):

• Communicare; • TBSP Advertising and Marketing; • Amandla Edu-Football, through its partnership with the Safety and Violence Initiative at the University of Cape Town (SaVI-UCT) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); • Gauteng Department of Health.

Stefan Redelinghuys

BSc Science, University of South Africa, 2015

Stefan Redelinghuys has expertise in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and cartography and manages large-scale GIS projects in transportation, asset management and research disciplines. He also has specialist knowledge in the areas of demographics data, census data and cartography for field assessments with a strong focus on spatial analytics and reporting. Stefan has worked with Mthente on a number of survey research projects for clients such as: • Amandla Edu-Football, through its partnership with the Safety and Violence Initiative at the University of Cape Town (SaVI-UCT) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); • TBSP Advertising and Marketing; • Gauteng Department of Health.

Dr Donald Skinner

PhD Clinical Psychology, Stellenbosch University, 2001 MPH, University of Cape Town, 2008 MA Clinical Psychology, University of Cape Town, 1989

Donald is a registered clinical psychologist. Following the completion of his PhD, he then moved into the field of research and obtained a Masters’ degree in Public Health, focusing on biostats and research design. He is currently the Director of Research on Health and Society (RHS), a research unit at the University of Stellenbosch. In addition to his other roles at the University he teaches qualitative research and community based participatory methods and supervises Masters and PhD students.

He has researched South African health and culture, often in community or primary health clinics, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Donald has been the local Principal Investigator on multiple internationally-funded studies related to risks to communities including HIV/Aids, substance abuse, violence, and gender issues and has also worked with families to enhance parenting skills. Previous posts include research officer at an NGO working with victims of violence, director of the AIDS and Society Research Unit at UCT and senior research specialist at the HSRC. He has a long history of involvement in health issues, including the struggle against apartheid in the health sector, and has worked closely with NGOs.

Donald has previously provided training for Mthente’s researchers on qualitative research methodologies. He is currently working with Mthente on projects for the Gauteng Department of Health. This is a large-scale evaluation to determine and assess the outcomes of the ward-based, door-to-door HIV and AIDS Education Programme that is being rolled out by the Gauteng Department of Health.

Solly Moeng

PhD candidate: Crisis Communications Management, University of Cape Town, 2016 Post Graduate Diploma Marketing, IMM Graduate School of Marketing, 2005 MA, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France, 1992

Solly is Mthente’s experienced brand specialist and media professional consultant with specialisation in strategic communications, public relations and media relations. He was South African Tourism’s marketing manager in Canada, based in Toronto, before being appointed to head the organisation’s operations in the United States where, as country manager based in New York, he managed the roll-out of South Africa’s tourism growth strategy in the United States and Canada.

Solly has also worked as business development and marketing manager of Mesure, a South African subsidiary of French multinational construction company, Bouygues Travaux Publics and for Basil Read. He has also occupied marketing and communications manager positions with CapeNature and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). A former Cape Times columnist, Solly now also writes weekly columns for Fin24.com, focusing on corporate reputation management. He has provided brand expertise to Mthente for research conducted for Brand South Africa and Interbrand.

Michael Daries

Michael is the owner and creative force behind Kult Creative, a design agency based in Cape Town. He has more than 20 years experience in the design and printing industry, and manages to offer creative and innovative solutions to both his and Mthente’s clients.

He has collaborated with Mthente and has been involved with our brand and publications development since 2005. He has designed report publications for Mthente’s clients, such as our report entitled Atlantis: Building Communities through Sport and Recreation, as well as the research to inform the establishment of community recreation hubs – both for the City of Cape Town Department of Sports, Recreation and Amenities.

Dr Izak Van Zyl

PhD Communication Science, Università della Svizzera italiana (Switzerland), 2013 MA Social Anthropology, Stellenbosch University, 2010

Having completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of South Africa, Izak is now permanently based at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town. He has a strong publication record and has presented at numerous international conferences and symposia. Izak’s research expertise covers digital anthropology and media, the philosophy of information systems, and design anthropology. Methodologically, he is interested in digital ethnographic, participatory and meta-analytic approaches.

Izak is a National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher, and is highly skilled in designing and conducting social scientific research with particular expertise in qualitative research, fieldwork and data analysis. Furthermore; he is an experienced consultant in the fields of communication, informatics, anthropology, and development. Izak is a member of several organisations and scientific and technical committees. He is the editor for ICT submissions at the Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, and is a member of Anthropology Southern Africa. He has garnered a number of “best paper” awards at international conferences.

Izak has collaborated with Mthente on work for the Department of Small Business Development (DBSD), in conjunction with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as well as for TBSP Advertising and Marketing.

Alison Goldstuck

MPhil Future Studies, Stellenbosch University, 2011 MEcon, Rand Afrikaans University, 2003

Alison is a qualified economist with over 16 years’ experience that includes work with blue-chip corporates, the public sector, management consulting and international policy think-tanks. Her experience includes providing advisory services (e.g. research, strategy and policy analysis) and implementing solutions (e.g. business process improvement and project management).

She has specialist knowledge in financial services, energy, mining, the electricity supply industry and climate mitigation. At the same time, she has also developed expert skills in sector studies, value-chain analysis, market and product strategies, scenario development and facilitation.

Over the past two years, Alison has focused on gaining specialised knowledge about the financial regulation and industry codes that are driving responsible investment. Projects in this space include work for the United Nations and collaborating with the University of Cape Town, Graduate School of Business (UCT-GSB) on a forthcoming paper.

Allison is currently working with Mthente on a project that is being conducted for the Department of Small Business Development (DBSD), in conjunction with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Gerald Claasen – GNC Research Services

National Senior Certificate (NSC)

Gerald is the director of GNC Research Services – a company with 15 years of fieldwork experience. Gerald and his team work with Mthente to undertake large-scale fieldwork and respondent recruitment in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, North West and KwaZulu Natal. He specialises in social research fieldwork including household demographic and census data collection, and has experience working both for Statistics South Africa and the Medical Research Council. For Mthente, he has managed fieldwork for the following clients:

• City of Cape Town; • Amandla Edu-Football, through its partnership with the Safety and Violence Initiative at the University of Cape Town (SaVI-UCT) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); • TBSP Advertising and Marketing; • Gauteng Department of Health; • Communicare.

Phila Nkonyane

Phila is the director of Brand i+D – a fieldwork company working in collaboration with Mthente in conducting large-scale fieldwork including conducting surveys and focus group discussions particularly in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Free State and the Eastern Cape. Phila and his team have a depth of experience in conducting fieldwork for market research (mystery shopping, consumer perception & satisfaction surveys including brand & product testing surveys). They specialise in respondent recruitment across LSM groups 4-10 and conduct fieldwork using bespoke survey technology platforms such as Survey-to-Go developed by Dooblo® which ensures quick turn-around times for data collection

Gill Naeser

BA (Hons) Psychology and Education, University of South Africa, 1995 Higher Diploma in Education (Pre-primary), Barkly House Teacher’s College, 1984

Gill has been working in the field of Early Childhood Development (ECD) for more than 30 years and has an in-depth understanding of the context of the ECD field. She has been involved in all aspects of ECD from development; scoping and implementation to the end phase and has wide experience in the monitoring and evaluation of ECD projects. She has conducted research in ECD both nationally and regionally, has developed accredited ECD training and skills programmes, and conducted verification of those programmes. She has assisted ECD non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to develop their capacity and has offered them specialist training. Gill works closely with government departments, universities, NGOs and donors and has presented a number of papers at conferences.

Gill will be working on the research project for The Networking HIV/Aids Community of South Africa (NACOSA), where she will provide expert advice on the design of the evaluation tools as well as during the analysis and reporting of the data.

South Africa Healthcare Research

• Veterinary Equipment
• Animal Drugs
• Animal Vaccines
• Purified Proteins
• Bioservices
• Biotechnology Research Equipment
• Protein Engineering
• Electro Therapy
• Nuclear Medicine
• Cardiovascular
• Dental Care
• Diabetes Care
• Ophthalmology
• Pulmonology
• Drug Filled Devices With Needle
• Clinical IT
• Healthcare Analytics
• Aesthetic Devices
• Clinical Diagnostic Instrument
• Immune System Diagnostics
• Infectious Disease Testing
• Handheld Monitoring Devices
• Single time Monitoring Devices
• Molecular Diagnostic Devices
• Medical Optical Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine Imaging
• Fluoroscopy
• Mammography
• Surgical Imaging
• Joint Reconstruction
• Drug Delivery Products
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Dental Medical Instruments
• Hospital and Clinical Use
• Ablation Devices
• General Surgical Devices
• Minimally Invasive Surgery Devices
• Bariatric Surgery Devices
• Surgical Access Devices
• Wound Care Devices
• Contraceptive Devices
• Anesthesia Equipment
• Insulin Pumps
• Hyperglycemics
• Behavioural Disorder Drugs
• Diabetes Care Drugs
• Oncology Drugs
• Developmental Anomalities
• External Condition Drugs
• Immune System Drugs
• Infectious Disease Drugs
• OB/GYN Drugs

Filter Reports

2207 South Africa Healthcare Reports

Country Covered: South Africa

Study Period: 2021 - 2029

Major Players: 3M Healthcare , B. Braun Melsungen AG , Becton Dickinson and Company , Cardinal Health , Medtronic PLC

Study Period: 2019 - 2029

Major Players: Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic PLC, Conmed Corporation, B. Braun SE

Major Players: 3M, Straumann Holding AG, Dentsply Sirona, Henry Schein Inc., Zimmer Biomet

Major Players: Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson

Major Players: Cochlear Ltd., Berlin Heart, Ossur, Medtronic, Sonova (Advanced Bionics AG)

Major Players: Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic PLC

Major Players: Ascensia, Abbott, Medtronic, GlySens, Dexcom

Major Players: Abbott Laboratories, GE Healthcare, Medtronic PLC, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers AG

Major Players: Roche, Abbott, Ascensia, Medtronic, Dexcom

Study Period: 2018 - 2029

Major Players: Dexcom Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care, Novo Nordisk A/S, Roche Diabetes Care, Medtronic PLC

Major Players: Roche, Ascensia, Abbott, Lifescan, Arkray

Major Players: Alma Lasers, Galderma, Venus Concept, Abbvie (Allergan Inc.), Sciton

Major Players: Alcon Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., Johnson and Johnson, Ziemer Group AG, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

Major Players: Intuitive Surgical Inc., Apollo Endosurgery Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Aspire Life Bariatrics, Medtronic PLC

Major Players: GE Healthcare, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Medtronic PLC, Draegerwerk AG, Koninklijke Philips NV

Major Players: B. Braun Melsungen AG, Stryker Corporation, Medtronic PLC, Abbott Laboratories, Johnson and Johnson

Major Players: Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson and Johnson, PENTAX Medical, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Karl Storz

Major Players: GE Healthcare, Carestream Health Inc., Hitachi Medical Corporation, Siemens Healthineers AG, Koninklijke Philips NV

Major Players: Siemens Healthineers AG, Koninklijke Philips NV, Canon Medical Systems Corporation, GE Healthcare, Esaote SpA

Major Players: Siemens AG, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Hologic Inc., Planmed OY

Major Players: Siemens Healthineers AG, Koninklijke Philips NV, GE Healthcare, Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation

Major Players: GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Canon Medical Systems, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Siemens AG

Major Players: Bracco Imaging Spa, GE Healthcare, Siemens AG, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Canon Medical Systems

Major Players: GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips NV, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Siemens Healthineers AG, Dentsply Sirona

Major Players: Nihon Kohden Corporation, Siemens Healthineers, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Abbott Laboratories, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd

Major Players: Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA , Koninklijke Philips NV, Akacia Medical & Healthcare Group, Hamilton Bonaduz AG (Hamilton Medical AG), Teleflex Incorporated

Major Players: Johnson and Johnson, 3M Company, Smith and Nephew PLC, Medtronic PLC, Coloplast Ltd

Major Players: Medtronic PLC, Styker Corporation, Depuy Synthes Spine Inc. (Johnson & Johnson), Globus Medical Inc., Zimmer Holdings Inc.

Major Players: Medtronics, Roche, NovoNordisk, Sanofi, Omnipod

Major Players: AstraZeneca, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi Aventis

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Meet 25 African healthtech startups changing the narrative

Here are 25 health startups that are challenging the status quo and changing the negative narrative about Africa’s health system.

A well-run health system is vital to the wellbeing of any economy.

Compared to the rest of the world, Africa still has a long way to go in terms of healthtech startups. There are lingering issues such as the low doctor-to-population ratio yet to be addressed. With the disruption caused by Covid-19, it's a good time to spotlight some healthtech startups providing innovative solutions to the problems bedeviling Africa's healthcare system.

Here are 25 healthtech startups challenging the status quo and changing the negative narrative about Africa’s healthcare. Each of these startups have received at least $250,000 investment.

1. Ilara Health

Founded in May 2019 by Emilian Popa, Ilara Health provides accessible and affordable diagnostics to the disadvantaged who are reportedly up to 500 million people in Africa.

The startup partners with companies using artificial intelligence and robotics to lower the overall cost of diagnostics and integrates these companies’ devices onto its platform. Ilara Health procures tech-powered diagnostic equipment at affordable prices and make the same equipment available to healthcare facilities who then pay over a period of time.

Zineb Drissi Kaitouni launched Dabadoc in 2013. Dabadoc connects patients with doctors, enhancing the doctor discovery process and enabling patients to find the right care. Axa Assurance Maroc and Orange bought majority shares in the healthtech startup in 2018. Four years before then, Seedstars had named DabaDoc as the best startup in Morocco.

3. Rema Medical Technologies

Medical errors result in more deaths than from malaria and AIDS combined in Africa, according to Sedric Degbo, the founder of Réseau d’Échange Entre Médecins d’Afrique (REMA – African Doctors' Exchange Network). And he hopes that number of medical errors will reduce through the efforts of his startup.

REMA started in 2017 as a social media platform aimed at improving the quality of medical decisions by connecting doctors across Africa. In 2018, Sedric won Seedstars' pitch competition in Cameroon. Now the remote medical assistance service REMA provides is being used by more than 7,000 doctors across Benin, Niger, Congo, Kinshasa, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Algeria and Burkina Faso.

REMA provides a professional medical network that allows doctors practising exclusively in Africa to publish, discuss, resolve specific patients' cases and work together in real time regardless of distance. Its business model consists of monetising its professional audience via public and private advertisers from within the health sector.

Founded in 2013 by Ghanaian entrepreneur Gregory Rockson, mPharma is laying the foundation to become the number one e-prescription network in emerging markets, leading with Africa.

At the height of the recent global pandemic, mPharma closed a $17 million Series C round co-led by the British International Investment (formerly CDC Group) and Novastar. There are over 850 pharmacies and 155 hospitals in mPharama's network.

54Gene was founded by Dr Abasi Ene-Obong in 2019.

Most of the genomic data used for development research across the world (Africa included) is primarily from Europe, North America and the United Kingdom. Less than 3% of genomic data represented in research is from African populations. 54Gene is committed to solving this problem by bridging the disparity gap in genomics data.

6. Helium Health

Helium Health helps healthcare providers to manage every aspect of healthcare delivery by providing technology solutions such as electronic medical records, telemedicine, administrative and financial management, etc. For healthcare funders such as health maintenance organisations and other donor agencies, they manage enrollment, identification, claims submission, claims processing, and reporting to ensure data transparency and cost efficiency.

7. DrugStoc

Every year, Africa records over 100,000 deaths from counterfeit and substandard medication because of unreliable supply chains. DrugStoc is fixing this problem.

Founded in 2015 by Chibuzor Opara and Adham Yehia, DrugStoc's history dates back to 2010 when the duo founded Integra Health, a hospital management company based on Yehia’s master’s degree project.

The startup is revolutionising the way healthcare providers interface with the pharmaceutical market. DrugStoc combines the use of unmatched technology, supply chain innovation, financial solutions, and product knowledge to unlock access to medications in emerging economies.

8. MDaaS Global

Founded in January 2016 by Oluwasoga Oni, MDaaS (Medical Devices as a Service) is designing healthcare products and services that can make it easier for Africans to access and afford quality care.

MDaaS services include BaconHealth Diagnostics and SentinelX . BaconHealth Diagnostic is a modern, tech-enabled diagnostic centre which helps low- and middle-income patients identify health issues early, get access to medical specialists and treatment options, and ultimately live healthier lives. SentinelX is a hybrid digital and physical health management platform which helps patients access primary care both in-person and virtually.

The idea to build Bypa-ss was born when Dr Andrew Saad found himself in a tight situation where he had to make a medical decision for an unconscious patient whose medical record was not available. None of the patient’s family or friends were around and the patient had only a few hours to live if not treated.

Bypa-ss is digitizing healthcare information exchange between healthcare providers to deliver best quality of care to their patients. HealthTag is Bypa-ss leading health information exchange platform. It’s a platform where medical records get exchanged between patients and healthcare providers.

10. Dawaswift

The Toronto- and Nairobi-based healthtech startup was founded by Odero Otieno in late 2018.

DawaSwift is an on-demand medicine delivery platform that connects pharmacies with patients through delivery partners. The startup is backed by Entrepreneur First and is working on a new product called Healthipy. Through its AI-powered infrastructure, Healthipy enables insurance companies, providers and pharmacies to better engage their customers by offering personalized and compliant health insurance products.

11. MedsToGo

MedsToGo is a web and mobile-based pharmacy and delivery service that is committed to removing all impediments so you don’t miss important medical prescriptions. Based in South Africa, MedsToGo was founded in 2016 by Ebrahim Ally.

12: Vezeeta

Vezeeta is a digital healthcare booking platform and practice management software. With over 200,000 verified reviews, patients are able to search, compare, and book appointment with the best doctors. And doctors can provide patients with seamless healthcare experience through Vezeeta’s clinic management software.

Amir Barsoum and Ahmed Badr founded the healthtech startup in 2012. Vezeeta has managed over three million bookings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, served 2.5 million consumers, and connected more than 10,000 doctors in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria and Jordan.

13. Dileny Technologies

Dileny Tech provides online and offline solutions for breast workflow called BE-SMART. It improves and complements the diagnostic decisions and enhance screening and diagnostic workflow of breast health professionals.

Since its launch in 2018 by Dr Ahmed Ehab Mahmoud, Dileny Tech has become one of the fast-growing health tech startups in Africa and the MENA region specialized in AI and medical imaging analysis.

14. MedAtlas

MedAtlas is connecting doctors to patients and making it easier to speak with licensed specialist doctors in Africa. Margaret Mutumba, the founder of MedAtlas , is from Uganda. She's passionate about reducing inequality in access to specialist healthcare across the continent, and is striving to achieve this through her company.

After a close friend died from taking a fake malaria drug, Vivian Nwakah co-founded Medsaf , an online pharmaceutical marketplace, with Temitope Awosika, who is a pharmacist. The startup is a medication marketplace for hospitals and pharmacies.

About 160 hospitals and pharmacies purchase medications through the platform on a monthly recurring basis. It also has partnership over 100 suppliers, including the largest pharmaceutical companies. Medsaf won the Seedstars Malaria Challenge in 2019.

16. Healthtracka

Healthtracka allows users to book health screening tests from the comfort of their home and get test results delivered within 1-3 days via email. The health tests offered include COVID-19 PCR test, sexually transmitted disease test, and full body checkup. All test results are reviewed and confirmed accurate by medical professionals before they are released.

Driven by Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson, the startup joined the Techstars Toronto Accelerator programme in 2021 barely five months after launch. Last year December, it also partnered with Fleri Inc., a United States-based insurtech startup enabling immigrants to provide healthcare for their loved ones back home.

17. Africa Health Holdings

Based in Ghana, Africa Health Holding is expanding its telemedicine service to countries like Nigeria and Kenya. The startup’s MyCareMobile app provides patients with access to a wide-range of services through teleconferencing, including consultations with their doctors. Other services include access to test results, and 24-hour emergency response.

Led by Sangu Delle, Africa Health Holding seeks to expand its footprint across East, North and Southern Africa. About 200,000 patients use its telemedicine platform for referrals and treatment annually.

18. Nawah Scientific

It was launched in March 2015 by a group of young Egyptians scholars who graduated from different top universities around the world. These young scholars seek to democratise research to enable scientists regardless of where they are, to step in and tackle meaningful research questions.

The startup is the first, private, multidisciplinary research center in Egypt catering for natural and medical sciences. Nawah is a core platform of high-tech research equipment that provides a multitude of services to the MENA region through an online platform, a world-class caliber of scientists and a strong logistic network.

Currently led by Omar Shoukry Sakr, Nawah Scientific has established itself as an integral part of Egypt’s pharmaceutical industry, and has so far analysed over 100,000 samples from more than 3,500 clients across 12 countries.

Rology is an Egyptian healthtech startup connecting hospitals and other healthcare providers with remote and readily available radiologists. It was founded in 2017 by Amr Abodraiaa, Moaaz Hossam, Bassam Khallaf, and Mahmoud Eldefrawy.

As it is on-demand, the hospitals that engage Rology’s service only pay when they use it — and how much they pay depends on the type of report. And for qualified radiologists, the platform offers the option to work from anywhere in the world as long as they’re connected to the internet and have access to a laptop.

20. RecoMed

Upon a brief stay in the United States, Sheraan Amod experienced for the first time what it was like to book medical appointments online. This wasn’t the case in his home country, South Africa. Inspired, he returned to South Africa to build RecoMed , what he called "booking.com for healthcare".

RecoMed is a marketplace where patients can find and book services with healthcare professionals across South Africa. Patients can search and browse practitioner profiles, check reviews and then book a physical or virtual appointment from the app or website. Over 2,200 contracted health providers are on RecoMed and more than one million people use the platform annually.

21. Redbird Inc

Redbird believes health monitoring should be quick and convenient so people can check their health and move on with their life.

Redbird enables pharmacies in Ghana to add rapid diagnostic testing for 10 different health conditions to their services. These tests include anaemia, blood sugar, blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, Hepatitis B, malaria, typhoid, prostate cancer screening and pregnancy.

The startup provides pharmacies with the necessary equipment, supplies and software to make this possible. The startup was co-founded by Patrick Beattie (CEO), Andrew Quao (COO) and Edward Grandstaff (CTO) in 2017.

22. 3X4 Genetics

3X4 Genetics is a genetics-based health platform. The company combines advanced genetics testing, nutritional genomics education and a global network of accredited practitioners to provide data on the identified gene pathways and health analytics, therefore, enabling clients to predict and monitor genetic diseases to make sound lifestyle choices.

Founded by leading nutrigenetics pioneer Dr. Yael Joffe in 2018 and based in South Africa, the startup is currently led by Michael Hubbard who is the Chief Executive Officer.

23. Hi BLANCE

Hi Blance was launched in the wake COVID-19 pandemic by Charles Chiagoziam. Hi Blance is on a mission to change the traditional way in which people access and seek emergency medical attention in Nigeria and across the globe.

The startup's primary objectives is to provide an ambulance Service, medical travels, sales and purchase of medical emergency equipment and general contracting. Hi Blance’s online emergency medical services enables booking an ambulance online, finding the closest medical centers, purchasing emergency medical equipment online as well as helping patients make smart choices when seeking medical attention locally or internationally.

24. Healthlane

Healthlane, a Cameroonian and Nigerian health startup, is making it easier to take up the responsibility of wellness, and make the choice to live healthier, saving more money in the long term. The startup connects users with quality and affordable healthcare services.

Healthlane was founded in 2020 by Alain Nteff, and its user base has grown to more than 60,000. The startup participated in the Y Combinator Winter cohort of 2020.

25. Waspito

Waspito was created in April 2020 by Jean Lobe Lobe. It is an application that brings together several services – from telemedicine to drug delivery – and discussion groups where practitioners provide advice to users. It aims to prevent, rather than cure.

Waspito was launched in Cameroon, where it has managed to sign up 30,000 users. The startup seeks to bring Africans into the conversation of driving affordable and accessible quality healthcare across the continent.

Jean Lobe Lobe is not ashamed of the fact that he is ambitious. In fact, his goal is to create the ‘Facebook for health’. Already, Waspito has some major backers, including French mobile operator Orange which invested $500,000 in November 2020.

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Research Centres

The SAMRC’s Research Centres, based at universities and institutions across the country, identify and gather information on leading health concerns in South Africa like Cancer, HIV and Tuberculosis.

Each Centre is staffed with experts in the same field as the projects they direct. Many of these experts also work with external specialists on the research and funding of international projects. Over the years, the SAMRC’s research has provided vital information that is used by the Department of Health and government for health planning and assessing progress towards realising government’s objectives.

Cancer Centres

• Common Epithelial Cancer Research Centre
• Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre

The Common Epithelial Research Centre (CERC), based at Wits University, focuses on breast, colorectal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer, which are among the most deadly and common cancers in South Africa.

Selected programmes are run at Wits University’s Faculty of Health Sciences Teaching Hospitals: the Chris Hani Baragwanath and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospitals.

Key focus areas

• Predict the demographics, genetic markers, treatment options, risk and treatment responses of patients;
• Identify personal, social and health system barriers to guide health policies and enable earlier diagnosis and treatment;
• Encourage surgeons, oncologists and other cancer specialists at Wits teaching hospitals to work together;
• Enhance the working relationships between national and international cancer management and research specialists;
• Grow the National and Regional Cancer Registries (cancer statistic sources);
• Increase the use of the National Cancer Registry and other Wits hospital-based cancer registries to improve patient care; and
• Improve research biobanks (how biological data is stored at Wits, the National Health Laboratory Service and other laboratory facilities).

Unit Director: Professor Paul Ruff E-mail:  [email protected]

The Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre, based at the University of Cape Town, focuses on programmes that address the current challenges facing patients with gynaecological cancers (the most common being cervical cancer).

The Centre also works with colleagues in East London to enhance its research capacity and support other SAMRC units in addressing the burden of disease.

• Encourage teamwork among scientists and clinicians;
• Create a specialised biobank (collection of relevant research and data) and data-capturing system;
• Develop a registry (statistics source) that reflects the burden of disease;
• Establish the infrastructure and skills needed for real-time data-capturing (research nurses, for example);
• Prevent new and advanced cervical cancer cases by using point of care diagnostic tests and similar initiatives;
• Develop new and experimental vaccines for the Human Papilloma Virus (a group of viruses known as ‘HPV’ which increase a patient’s chance of developing cancer);
• Study therapeutic HPV vaccinations;
• Identify genetic markers linked to the progression and regression of gynaecological cancers;
• Monitor and evaluate HPV vaccination programmes;
• Establish effective ways to treat patients’ symptoms (pain relief) in regions with limited resources;
• Research the causes of late-onset cervical cancer;
• Promote the use of mobile technology for client follow-ups;
• Investigate the impact of HIV infection on recurring non-HPV related cancers; and
• Produce publications in relevant industry journals.

The five-year SAMRC grant for the Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre amounts to R2.5 million per year (excluding VAT), with a 5% increase each year depending on funding.

For more information, visit the  Gynaecology Cancer Research Centre's Website

Unit Director: Professor Lynette Denny E-mail:  [email protected]

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Top 9 largest south african companies in the healthcare sector by market cap.

This is the list of the largest public listed companies in the Healthcare sector from South Africa by market capitalization with links to their reference stock and industry.

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Top Healthcare Companies from South Africa as of Jul. 01, 2024

1. Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd

Company Profile: Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd Market Cap (USD): $5.59 B Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Drug Manufacturers—Specialty & Generic

2. Mediclinic International plc

Company Profile: Mediclinic International plc Market Cap (USD): $4.68 B (May 1, 2023) Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Medical Care Facilities

3. Clicks Group Ltd

Company Profile: Clicks Group Ltd Market Cap (USD): $4.29 B Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Pharmaceutical Retailers

4. Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd

Company Profile: Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd Market Cap (USD): $1.59 B Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Pharmaceutical Retailers

5. Life Healthcare Group Holdings Ltd

Company Profile: Life Healthcare Group Holdings Ltd Market Cap (USD): $994.6 M Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Medical Care Facilities

6. Netcare Ltd

Company Profile: Netcare Ltd Market Cap (USD): $884.9 M Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Medical Care Facilities

7. Adcock Ingram Holdings Ltd

Company Profile: Adcock Ingram Holdings Ltd Market Cap (USD): $497.1 M Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Drug Manufacturers—Specialty & Generic

8. AfroCentric Investment Corp Ltd

Company Profile: AfroCentric Investment Corp Ltd Market Cap (USD): $135.8 M Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Medical Care Facilities

9. Go Life International Ltd

Company Profile: Go Life International Ltd Country: South Africa Sector: South African Healthcare Industry: South African Drug Manufacturers—Specialty & Generic

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• Open access
• Published: 18 July 2024

Insights on the contribution of doctoral research findings from a school in a South African University towards policy formulation

• Florence Upenyu Damba   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4668-9574 1 ,
• Ntombifikile Gloria Mtshali 1 &
• Moses John Chimbari 1 , 2  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  930 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

36 Accesses

Metrics details

• Health humanities
• Social policy

Translation of health research findings into policy contributes to improvement of health systems. Generally, in sub-Saharan Africa policymakers rarely use research evidence and hence policies are often not informed by research evidence. Unless published or in the case of commissioned research, doctoral health research is often not used for health policy formulation. This paper analysed the potential and utilization of doctoral research from the School of Nursing and Public Health by KwaZulu-Natal Health Department of Health. The study adopted a mixed methods approach that combined elements of qualitative and quantitative research aspects. Qualitative data was collected through content analysis of 29 theses produced in the School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal between 2014 and 2021 and interviews held with four Department of Health personnel as policymakers. When researchers could not get information on how research questions were formulated from content analysis, they checked the student questionnaire for answers. Quantitative data was collected from 79 participants through structured questionnaires. Participants included 47 PhD graduates, 11 final year PhD students and 21 PhD supervisors. Data from content analysis and interviews was analyzed thematically while data from questionnaires was analyzed quantitatively. Eleven (52%) PhD supervisors reported that findings from 22 studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can be used to formulate policies. Factors such as failure to involve the Department of Health during the formulation of research questions, inappropriate packaging of research findings, policymakers not aware of the availability of research findings, lack of commitment to the dissemination of research results by students and poor demand for research evidence by policymakers hindered the translation of PhD research findings into policy. From the 29 theses reviewed, sixteen (28%) of PhD respondents highlighted that they involved the Department of Health to formulate research questions while forty-two (72%) did not. The theses review also revealed limited identifiable information related to policy formulation. The study confirms the use of PhD research findings for policy formulation. Additionally, it highlights the factors that hinder utilization of PhD work by policymakers. Further research to understand the perspectives of policymakers on factors that contribute to utilization of PhD work as well as how the findings have contributed to policy formulation is recommended since there was not sufficient data collected from policymakers due to Covid-19 restrictions.

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Barriers and facilitators of translating health research findings into policy in sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

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In 2013, World Health Organization (WHO) reported that for 20 years there had been an unprecedented effort to use evidence in policy and decision making for health systems. Globally, it has been acknowledged that translation of health research into policy and practice is vital for enhancing the performance of health systems, promoting service delivery, and improving health outcomes (Barratt et al. 2017 ; Langlois et al. 2016 ; El-Jardali et al. 2014 ). However, evidence indicates that whilst there are numerous promising research findings, they are underutilized and often take a long time to be translated into health policy (Walugembe et al. 2015 ; El-Jardali et al. 2014 ). Research generated by universities can be used to influence national health policies to improve service delivery and outcomes (Pariyo et al. 2011 ; Nankinga et al. 2011 ). Studies that document the pathway of students’ research generally show that a substantial proportion of this work ends up on the shelves and are often underutilized (Caan and Cole 2012 , Bullen and Reeve 2011 ). Translation of research findings into policy can be facilitated through numerous ways. Researchers should strive to disseminate their research findings through appropriate methods for targeted policymakers. Examples of these include news media, social media, policy briefs, one-on-one meetings, policymakers’ workshops, and seminars. Researchers should also involve policymakers and other stakeholders in the earlier stages of the research particularly during the identification of key research questions (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ).

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Health Research and Ethics Committee (KZN-PHREC) in South Africa sets research priority questions for the province and communicates them to the leaders of all academic institutions and research organizations. The priority research questions are also posted on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health (KZN-DOH) website to encourage researchers to address the questions through research projects (KZN-DOH webpage). Despite the growing knowledge of the factors influencing utilization of health research into policy, we are not aware of research that has specifically examined how doctoral research generated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) School of Nursing and Public Health (SNPH) through doctoral studies has contributed to existing policies or influenced formulation of guidelines and policies in South Africa. Understanding what facilitates utilization of doctoral research findings for policy formulation is critical to ensure that research conducted by doctoral students does not go to waste. We therefore conducted this study to establish if the knowledge generated from doctoral studies at UKZN, SNPH has contributed to existing DOH policies or formulation of DOH guidelines and policies and analyze the factors that may hinder or promote knowledge uptake by policymakers.

The study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province and data was collected at UKZN in the College of Health Sciences (CHS), School of Nursing and Public Health (SNPH). The school has an average enrollment of 44 PhD students per year with a throughput of 32 students per year. The school has an average total of 54 PhD supervisors distributed across nine disciplines namely, Behavioral Medicine, Biostatistics & Bioethics and Medical Law, Family Medicine, Nursing, Public Health Medicine, Rural Health, Telemedicine, Traditional Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Health. The SNPH works closely with the KZN-DOH to provide skilled staff and inform research.

Study design

A case study design applying the mixed methods approach was used in this study. The SNPH in the CHS was treated as the case. The case study design was adopted because it allows the researcher to investigate a topic in its real-life context (Crowe et al. 2011 ). Mixed methods research was conducted to get an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the research questions and complex phenomena that required the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods (Dawadi et al. 2021 ). The use of mixed methods research enabled researchers to answer the research questions with sufficient depth and breadth allowing them to develop more effective and refined conclusions based on complementarity of the different approaches (Dawadi et al. 2021 ). The mixed method approach also allowed triangulation to enrich and strengthen research results through use of different methods of data collection and analysis (Molina-Azorin 2016 ). A convergent mixed method approach was applied in the study (Tariq and Woodman 2013 ). Qualitative and quantitative data was collected concurrently, and the two data sets were analyzed separately and compared, contrasted, and combined at interpretation stage (Creswell and Clark 2017 ). Equal priority was given to both data sets considering the equal importance of both types of data in answering the posed research questions (Dawadi 2019 ). The three research questions that the study responded to were “How have PhD theses produced in the SNPH, UKZN between 2014 and 2021 contributed to existing policies or influenced policy formulation?”, “What factors contribute to utilization of doctoral research findings in the SNPH, UKZN by policymakers?” and “What factors influence utilization of doctoral research findings by DOH?”. The three research questions had the common goal of establishing if doctoral research findings from the SNPH contributed to existing policies or influenced policy formulation.

Study population and sampling

Non-probability purposive sampling was adopted to select the sample for both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the study. We used our judgment in selecting individuals or items that possessed the required qualities and were able to provide the required data to respond to the questions of interest (Hibberts et al. 2012 ; Baker et al. 2013 ; Creswell 2014a ). Sampled items for the qualitative aspect included PhD theses and key DOH personnel at provincial level who were members of the research committee involved in granting permission to researchers conducting research in the DOH facilities. Sampled individuals for the quantitative aspect of the study included PhD theses, PhD graduates, PhD final year students, and PhD supervisors. The sample size for the two data sets was calculated using the Cochran formula below:

The targeted population included 81 PhD theses, 81 PhD graduates, 48 PhD final year students and 48 PhD supervisors. Out of the 81 theses that were marked and passed only fifty-one were available according to library records. There were however only thirteen theses available in the library repository as the data base was still being developed. Fourteen graduates whose thesis could not be accessed from the library agreed to share their soft copies. An additional twenty- four hard copies of the theses were obtained from the Postgraduate office. Out of the fifty-one theses that were accessed only twenty-nine met the criteria. We considered the 7-year timeframe we used to be reasonable because quality data was available for that period than earlier times and the study period coincided with the time the College adopted the thesis by publications format for presenting thesis which seems favorable for policy processes. We characterized a thesis as “policy related” if it highlighted the development of a framework, a model, guidelines, policy briefs, and if the study highlighted potential for the findings to be translated to policy. We excluded studies that were conducted outside South Africa. Of the eighty-one PhD graduates that were expected to participate only forty-seven (58%) participated. Eleven out of forty-eight (23%) PhD final year students participated. Due to Covid-19, it was not clear if they were still registered or not, so follow-up was difficult. Twenty-one (44%) out of forty-eight PhD supervisors participated making the overall response rate 45%.

Summary of sample selection

We selected all those who met the study’s criteria for eligibility as summarized. Theses produced between 2014 and 2021 based on studies conducted in South Africa, PhD graduates who graduated between 2014 and 2021, PhD final year students who were in the data collection and analysis, thesis write up, thesis submission and awaiting results, PhD supervisors who have supervised PhDs to graduation, and research committee members of the DOH were included in the study. Theses not based on studies conducted in South Africa, PhDs that graduated before 2014, PhD final year students in the proposal development stage, PhD supervisors who have not supervised PhDs to graduation, and those not in the DOH research committee were excluded.

Data collection methods and process

We adopted a mixed methods approach previously used and demonstrated to produce good results (Munce et al. 2021 ; Dawadi 2019 ; Mckim 2017 ). We used a combination of three data collection tools: content analysis, questionnaire, and interviews. The aim of combining the three tools was to manage two research questions and obtain stronger evidence for conclusions by merging research findings (Creswell 2014b ; Greene et al. 1989 ). The data collection tools are described in detail below:

Thesis content analysis

We conducted content analysis of doctoral theses produced between 2014 and 2021 in the SNPH, UKZN. Content analysis allowed us to analyze the data qualitatively and at the same time quantify it by measuring the frequency of different categories and themes (Grbich 2012 ). Content analysis was also conducted to confirm responses to the questionnaires. Twenty-nine PhD theses were analyzed to determine their implications on policy. A thesis by publication is submitted in the form of a series of already published, accepted or under review journal articles. A traditional thesis is a comprehensive piece of research in a book form.

We used a data extraction form to collect information from hard and soft copies of theses. The extraction form captured information on the discipline, research questions identification process, research findings dissemination methods and framework/model/guidelines/policy brief development and contribution of study to policy. The researchers checked the methods section of the theses under review for clues on how the research question formulation process was conducted and from the way thesis are written, the 29 studies had no indication of how the process was carried out. Since we had used mixed methods, we were able to get the information on how the process was conducted from the student questionnaire. Under each of the categories, we extracted information and presented it in a form of questions as indicated in the supplementary file attached:

Qualitative data was also collected through in-depth interviews conducted with four key DOH personnel at provincial level using a structured interview guide which included open-ended questions that were informed by literature review and the objectives of the study (Vaismoradi et al. 2013 ). The DOH personnel were members of the research committee who were responsible for granting permission to the researchers to conduct research. The researcher who conducted the interviews acquired interviewing skills through workshops and consultations with experienced qualitative researchers. The researcher was trained on interview and transcribing skills. Interviews provided detailed and rich data regarding phenomenon under study (Barrett and Twycross 2018 ) which was confirmed by questionnaire data (Harris and Brown 2010 ). Quotations that best illustrated the factors affecting translation of doctoral research into policy were used.

An interview guide with questions focusing on DOH’s expectations from doctoral students and the barriers, and facilitators of utilization of doctoral research findings by DOH was used to solicit for responses from participants. An interview guide allowed the researcher to control the line of questioning (Creswell 2014b ). Participants were contacted through email and telephone. The interviews lasted 40 minutes. Three of the interviews were done through zoom and one was conducted face to face. All four interviews were recorded with permission from the interviewees. Notes were taken to back up the audio recordings in case there were interruptions and, in the event, that the researcher forgot to switch on the recorder.

Questionnaire

Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire using KoboCollect software. Participants were contacted through email. Two questionnaires were used for data collection. One questionnaire was administered to 47 PhD graduates and 11 PhD final year students. The other one was administered to 21 PhD supervisors. Completing questionnaires took about 40 min to an hour. PhD and PhD final year students’ questionnaire consisted of 50 questions. The supervisors’ questionnaire comprised of 30 questions. Data was fed on Microsoft Excel and cleaned before analysis.

Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data

We used qualitative content analysis to analyze data obtained through review of theses. Qualitative content analysis enables a purposeful interpretation of the data as well as the context in determining meaning which provides a good description of the material (Schreier 2014 ). Content analysis facilitated the categorization of data into themes, thus allowing the information to be analyzed appropriately. We categorized the content of the theses from raw data without a theory-based categorization matrix (Elo et al. 2014 ).

Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim in a Microsoft word document by the researcher and a research assistant and imported into NVivo 12 to manage coding of the data. The files from which the data came from were given a unique identifier. Transcripts were read over and over as recommended by Erlingsson and Brysiewicz in order to familiarize with the data and get the sense of the text as a whole (Erlingsson and Brysiewicz 2017 ). The scripts were closely examined to identify common themes such as topics and ideas that came up repeatedly. The text was divided into meaning units keeping the research aim and question clearly in focus. The meaning units were then condensed further while keeping the meaning intact. Codes were developed using open coding. The exercise was repeated until the researchers were satisfied with the outcome. Codes that appeared to deal with the same issue were assigned to categories and themes. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM- SPSS version 27 and summarized as percentages. Data from interviews was analyzed thematically using NVivo 12 software.

Rigour/quality/validity and reliability

Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to enhance validity through the convergence of information from different sources (Molina-Azorin 2016 ; Nancy Carter et al. 2014 ; Zohrabi 2013 ; Creswell and Clark 2017 ; Rolfe 2006 ). In-depth interview was pilot tested on DOH personnel who did not take part in the study to check the validity of the tool. Prior to administering the questionnaires, a pilot study was conducted among PhD graduates, PhD final year students and PhD supervisors before being used as final documents, after which they were refined and some questions were rephrased before distribution to participants to ensure validity of the tool (Creswell and Hirose 2019 ; Thomas 2010 ; Ehrenberg and Sniezek 1989 ). The pilot test was used to improve precision, reliability, validity of data, identify problems/omissions, and assess time spent to complete the survey. The interview guide was also pilot tested to ascertain if participants interpreted the meaning of the questions as intended. The research instruments were reviewed by experts in the field of research and unclear questions were revised based on the reviewers’ comments (Zohrabi 2013 ).

Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings

The two data types were handled and analyzed separately and compared and contrasted for corroboration purposes (Tariq and Woodman 2013 ; O’cathain et al. 2010 ). Integration of the two data sets was done during interpretation of the findings (Chaumba 2013 ). The intention of integration was to develop results and interpretations that expand understanding, are comprehensive and validated and confirmed (Creswell and Clark 2017 ). The researchers listed the findings from each component of the study and considered where the findings agreed (convergence), offered complementary information on the same issue (complementarity), or appeared to contradict each other (discrepancy or dissonance) (Farmer et al. 2006 ).

Ethical considerations

The study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BREC/00001384/2020) and the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Provincial Department of Health (KZ-202008-030). All research was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of institutional research committee applicable when human participants are involved. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.

Demographics of participants

Table 1 shows the demographics of the sources of data.

Eleven (52%) PhD supervisors reported that findings from 22 studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can be used to formulate policies. Table 2 below indicates the studies produced between 2014 and 2021 that are being considered for policy development and adoption.

Emerging themes

Two major themes emerged during interviews with DOH personnel and content analysis of PhD theses:

Involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions

DOH priority research questions

Meetings with DOH

Dissemination methods used to communicate research findings to DOH including policy briefs, journal articles, National Health Research Database (NHRD), conference presentations, research reports, media, copies of theses, presentation at DOH annual health research days and stakeholder meetings.

Findings from the two data sets (qualitative and quantitative) were integrated and are discussed below:

Theme 1: Involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions

The findings revealed that DOH is somewhat involved in the formulation of research questions. Sixteen (28%) of the PhD respondents highlighted that they involved DOH while forty-two (72%) did not involve DOH. Interview data indicated that DOH publishes a list of priority research questions on its website and sends it to senior management of research and academic organizations in KwaZulu-Natal including the SNPH with the hope that researchers will engage with it, for example, some of the participants stated that:

“We have a list of priority research questions that we have published on our website, and we have also sent to the senior management of research and academic organisations in KwaZulu-Natal. We developed these priority research questions with our district managers, program managers and facility managers. We hope that researchers who are looking for topics will engage with them, and we hope that we have advertised them well enough for them to know about them”. Respondent 1, DOH

“The department of Health has a research agenda that is published on its communication platforms”. Respondent 4, DOH

According to data sources, in most cases students do not respond to priority research questions. In some instances, they conduct studies that are part of their supervisors’ bigger projects. For example, 2 (10%) supervisors mentioned that their commissioned projects involve PhD students. PhD research work is not commissioned by DOH as confirmed by one of the participants from DOH,

“We do not really commission research because we cannot pay for it. When we need research to be done, we usually do it in partnership with institutions or if possible, we just do it ourselves”. Respondent 2, DOH .

Theme 2: Research findings dissemination

Only twenty-two (38%) students confirmed that they sent their findings to DOH while thirty-six (62%) did not share their research findings with DOH despite the condition in the DOH gatekeeper permission that the report should be submitted to the DOH. This was also supported by the qualitative data indicating that although part of DOH approval letter instructs students to share their research findings with them, only a small fraction of the students send their research results on completion of their studies.

“The expectation is that as part of dissemination of research findings, the researcher should then come back and share their findings with the Department of Health and table their recommendations because when we do research we want to come up with recommendations at the end. Unfortunately, this is not really monitored or done”. Respondent 2, DOH .

However, it was reported that it is difficult for DOH to monitor the feedback of research findings since there are many projects approved every year in KZN. For example, one of the participants said,

“ Part of our letter of approval states that students are required to send their research findings to DOH on completion of their studies. Beyond that we don’t really do anything and it’s quite difficult to monitor because there are hundreds of projects approved every year in KZN so to follow up will take a lot of time. There is need to systematize it so that when the researcher is done, we ask them to send us their findings. We cannot really do it on an individual basis, and we haven’t got a system in place yet to automate it. We have been discussing various options, but we have not really hit on one that we think is going to improve everything”. Respondent 1, DOH .

Analysis of theses showed that research findings were disseminated to DOH and stakeholders through various methods; peer-reviewed journal articles, copies of theses, conference presentations, community/stakeholder meetings and policy briefs. This corroborates with what was highlighted by PhD graduates and final years in their responses for the questionnaire study. Table 3 below shows responses from the questionnaire on the methods that were used by students to disseminate research findings to DOH.

Five (24%) supervisors stated that their students used policy briefs to disseminate their findings to DOH while seventeen (81%) supervisors said that students used peer-reviewed publications. Sixteen (76%) supervisors reported that students used stakeholder feedback meetings, two (10%) supervisors said they used the media and one (5%) supervisor stated that the students used X. According to PhD graduates and final years questionnaire data, conference presentations were used more than the other methods to disseminate research findings to DOH. Dissemination to NHRD and use of media were the least used methods of dissemination with 1 (2%) participant each.

Thirty-one (53%) PhD students stated that they had attended the KZN-DOH annual research day and twenty-three (40%) had presented on such research days. Twenty-seven (47%) attended the research days to listen to other researchers’ presentations. The dissemination of research findings through the KZN-DOH annual research day was corroborated by a DOH respondent:

“The department holds a research day annually and only a few researchers get the opportunity to present their research findings. There is poor attendance of policymakers who have the decision-making powers at the event hence the research findings and recommendations will not be translated into policy. Respondent 3, DOH .

Apart from KZN-DOH annual research day, the students also presented at other national and international conferences. 76% of participants presented their work at least at four local scientific conferences while 72% presented their work at least at five international conferences. Policymakers suggested dissemination strategies that are potentially useful to translate research into policy such as setting aside a specific day for DOH employees to meet and read an article by a student from SNPH, UKZN that has policy implications or for students from SNPH, UKZN to present their research findings to relevant employees in the department who may consider them for policy formulation. One of the participants stated that,

“It can be sessions at work where you can come up with one article a Friday once a month and engage in research that has been done and choose whatever works for you to improve practice or even in policy development. DOH needs to allow students who have done research an opportunity to present their studies to relevant employees in the department who might take the recommendations seriously and use them to improve and inform our own practice and develop informed policies from them”. Respondent 4, DOH

Policy briefs produced or policy contributions by students

Only two students produced policy briefs with one student producing two policy briefs and the other one producing one. This was confirmed by data obtained from the PhD graduates and final year students’ questionnaire. Only two (3%) students responded that they produced policy briefs. Only one (5%) supervisor indicated that their students have produced policy briefs. Respondents from DOH were not aware of any research conducted by students in the SNPH during the period 2014 to 2021 that has been used in programs, either for guidelines or policy formulation.

“I cannot name any recent or specific research that was done in the SNPH between 2014 and 2021 that was used in programs either for guidelines or policy formulation. Research that I remember that was conducted at UKZN and translated into policy very quickly was research conducted during the early years of HIV which was used in creating policy around HIV and infant nutrition”. Respondent 1, DOH

“I do not want to lie to you… none. whatsoever. I have not heard of any research study conducted by a student actively being converted into influencing our policies or guidelines”. Respondent 4, DOH

“I don’t know of any specific research from the school that was used for policy formulation”. Respondent 3, DOH

Regarding feedback on research results to DOH, supervisors expressed varied degrees of compliance. They were asked to state their responses on a 5- point Likert scale: Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often and Always. Table 4 shows frequency of feedback of research results to DOH by PhD supervisors.

The gap between research and policy and practice is still very wide in low and middle- income countries such as South Africa (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). The failure to take-up high- quality research evidence by policymakers is a persistent problem. Academics and policymakers have different incentives (Nutley et al. 2007 ), rules, obligations, values and interests (Newman et al. 2016 ). We analysed the contribution of doctoral theses to the formulation of health policies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Fifty-two percent (52%) of PhD supervisors who participated in the study reported that 22 studies conducted between 2014 and 2021 in the SNPH, UKZN were being considered for policy development and adoption. Some of the studies resulted in the development of policy guidelines and frameworks that can guide the formulation of policies. According to the information obtained from PhD supervisors’ questionnaire, the studies were successful in reaching policymakers because where supervisors thought there was policy relevancy arising from PhD work, they ensured that they engaged with policymaking entities such as the Department of Health and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries at provincial and local government level as well as at national level for research findings to be translated into policy. Some studies were also successful in reaching policymakers because supervisors had meetings with policymakers to highlight problem areas and possible solutions. Some supervisors revealed that studies were successful in reaching policymakers because the students embedded their work within their larger projects through a learning collaborative that was established within KZN-DOH which facilitates evidence-based learning. However, none of the 22 studies were included in the 29 theses analyzed by the researchers.

Although we found some evidence of utilization of doctoral research findings for policy formulation, the research was not utilized to its fullest potential by policymakers (Nutley et al. 2007 ). Two major themes of the factors that contribute to utilization of PhD work emerged from the study; involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions and dissemination methods used to communicate research findings to DOH. The factors were the same across the two data sets (qualitative and quantitative) hence they were merged.

In contrast, DOH personnel reported that they were not aware of any PhD research from the SNPH that has influenced policy formulation. Perhaps, the challenge leading to this disparity is that the provincial officials interviewed may not have been fully aware of research conducted in all the districts and municipalities. Students and supervisors may be disseminating findings to the district and municipalities. It could also be a problem of deficiencies of the reporting systems in cascading information upwards. It is sensible that students report their findings to officials who are closer to their research sites. Furthermore, these findings would be relevant to that municipality or district where research is being conducted. Hence, they disseminate their findings to the closest office. On the other hand, provincial officials are swamped with work and may not be fully aware of research conducted in all the eleven districts.

Results of our study showed that policymakers were not aware of the availability of doctoral research findings due to lack of meaningful discussion of available research findings between researchers and policymakers, their suitability to policy- related problems and identification of other policy related areas requiring research attention (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). DOH was also not aware of the availability of research findings because they were not involved in the formulation of research questions for the projects. The results revealed that forty-two (72%) students did not engage with DOH/ policymakers during the formulation of research questions for their projects. It is acknowledged that engagement of stakeholders during formulation of research questions for projects ensures that appropriate research questions are pursued as well as informing policymakers of the availability of research findings (Edwards et al. 2019 , Oliver and Cairney 2019 ). This finding is in line with studies conducted in Ghana and Tanzania (Kok et al. 2017 , Wolffers and Adjei 1999 ). WHO stresses the value of closer collaboration between research organizations and the policymakers they seek to influence, so that evidence creation is better aligned with policy priorities (Organization 2016 ). DOH was also not aware of the evidence from research they did not commission. We established that DOH does not commission research due to lack of funding. Policymakers are likely to translate research that they have commissioned because they would have defined what gap needs to be informed by pending evidence (Mapulanga et al. 2020 ).

The poor demand for research evidence on research projects approved by DOH was also reported as a barrier. This may reflect DOH’s perception of the value of doctoral research evidence or their prioritization of research for decision-making (Ezenwaka et al. 2020 ). Part of DOH approval letter states that students are required to send their research findings to DOH on completion of their studies. However, according to the data obtained from the students’ questionnaire only twenty-two (38%) students sent feedback to DOH when they completed their studies. This was supported by supervisors who reported that students hardly give feedback to institutions that give them permission to carry out their studies. Although DOH do not have an automated system to monitor projects that have been completed out of the hundreds of projects they approve in the province per year, they do not have to rely on students who have completed their studies for feedback. They can use other strategies such as journal clubs to access research results. A participant from DOH suggested that as DOH they can form journal clubs where they can meet once a month and read an article by a student from the SNPH. Another participant suggested that students from SNPH can be asked to come and share their research findings with relevant people in the department. The study also revealed that 76.1% supervisors sent feedback of students’ research findings to DOH.

The methods through which research findings were communicated by the students could have also influenced demand and research uptake by DOH (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). It was interesting to note that PhD research findings were disseminated at scientific conferences and in scientific journals more than at policy forums or workshops (Edwards et al. 2019 ; Mcvay et al. 2016 ). 76% of the students reported that they presented their work at least at four local scientific conferences whilst 72% presented their research findings at least at five international conferences. Often, policymakers are not present at these conferences. This finding shows that PhD students prefer to communicate their research results through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed journals more than active engagement with policymakers. These results are consistent with the findings of (Ndlovu et al. 2016 ) that academics prioritize scholarly communication and prefer academic journals and conferences as communication platforms. In the SNPH, this could be attributed to a culture where publishing in peer-reviewed journals is rewarded and carries considerable prestige and power. Institutional priorities such as number of journal articles published, number of conferences attended and number of grants attracted limit researchers commitment to responding to policy issues facing policymakers (Ha et al. 2022 ; Gordon and Bartley 2015 ).

Scientific journals, with their assortment of articles may contain nothing of interest to a policymaker whose needs are very specific (Glied et al. 2018 ). It has also been argued that some policymakers might not have the skills and resources to access research evidence or time to source for evidence from scientific journals (Hyder et al. 2011 ). Most policymakers have responsibilities and priorities that may prevent them from spending a lot of time reading or reviewing the materials provided to them in detail (Brownson et al. 2018 ). Presenting research findings in less complex formats such as policy briefs that use simple language, has been shown to improve health research transfer in policymaking (Newman 2014 ). It was not the case with this study where only three policy briefs were produced. The study revealed that only 3.4% of the students who participated in the survey produced policy briefs. This supports findings of a survey of researchers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region that showed that only 15% produced policy briefs (El-Jardali et al. 2012 ). The low production of policy briefs may be attributed to researchers’ lack of policy briefs writing skills.

DOH acknowledges the strategic role of knowledge translation in attaining national health goals, as evidenced by the creation of KZN-DOH annual research day which is a one-day evidence-to-policy workshop aimed at getting feedback on research that they have approved. The main perceived benefit of the platform is to provide a non-academic space (Fernández-Peña et al. 2008 ) recommended for researchers to disseminate research findings to policymakers who can translate research into policies and adoption of interventions to public health settings (Proctor and Chambers 2017 ; Tinkle et al. 2013 ). The other benefit of the forum is that it is a platform where researchers and policymakers discuss health policy implications of research findings pertaining to policy and practice (Parkhurst 2017 ). This finding is also supported by a study conducted in Nigeria which found that the Nigerian research days that were organized by the Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria had fostered a platform to discuss policies on maternal and child health by allowing dialog among various stakeholders, including researchers and policymakers (Johnson et al. 2020 ). The combined use of policy briefs, policy dialogs and meetings with policymakers have been proposed to enhance knowledge translation as the strategies are deemed to be likely familiar to both researchers and policymakers (Edwards et al. 2019 ).

Whilst the KZN-DOH annual research day is ideal for dissemination of research findings; our study reveals that DOH is not utilizing the platform to its fullest potential. Only 40% of the students presented their research findings at the KZN-DOH annual research day. Only a few students got the opportunity to present their research findings since it is a one-day event. The event may be extended to two or three days or may be conducted on a quarterly basis to allow for more research results to be disseminated to DOH. It was also reported that attendance by policymakers who have the decision-making powers at the event was poor hence the likelihood of the research findings and recommendations being translated is low. Our study also found that although researchers are encouraged to address priority research questions posted on DOH website, projects did not respond to these questions. A previous study highlighted that sharing research priority lists is important in research question identification and rewarding such engagement would incentivize postgraduate students to demonstrate how they engaged policymakers at various levels (Obuku et al. 2021 ). When research does not respond to priority research questions raised, it minimizes the likelihood of research findings being used in policy and practice.

Only thirteen PhD theses produced in the SNPH between 2014 and 2021 were accessed from the institutional repository. The SNPH has an average enrollment of 44 students per year and a throughput of 32 students per year. Given the number of PhD students expected to have graduated during the period under study, the theses in the institutional repository reflected very low levels of content deposit. The finding confirms Harnad’s position that most universities’ institutional repositories are 85% empty with deposit levels sitting at 15% or below (Harnad 2011 ). Some supervisors highlighted that they held meetings with policymakers to highlight problem areas and possible solutions.

Implications for future research and policy

This paper has identified the gaps that exist in the process of translating doctoral research findings into policy. This has opened an opportunity to explore possible solutions to address the gaps. Our findings are unique to the field in that they are postulated by authorities and participants who have an active role in both the development and use of research findings with the department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal. The department on its own is a typical case study that can be portrayed as an example of how such challenges in translating research manifest and how they can be solved. Results of this study contributed to the development of a framework that guides both students and policymakers on the processes necessary for consideration of doctoral research findings in policy formulation.

Strengths and limitations

This is the first study that has attempted to highlight the extent to which doctoral research from the SNPH at UKZN has contributed to existing policies or influenced formulation of guidelines and policies of DOH, South Africa. Data were collected using three different sources (document review, questionnaires, and interviews) which allowed cross-checking of findings. Nonetheless, we encountered some shortcomings, particularly with regards to access to PhD theses produced between 2014 and 2021. The library repository was not up to date and had a limited number of theses produced during the period under study; therefore, the document review did not include all the theses that were produced between 2014 and 2021. The only way to obtain all the theses produced during the period under study was to get them from the graduates themselves. However, some of them were reluctant to share their theses for personal reasons. We could have missed some important information pertaining to our study. Another limitation is that the study was carried out in a single school in one college of UKZN, yet the university has four colleges with 19 different schools. For this reason, our findings may not be generalized for UKZN. Some of the reviewed theses were too recent not allowing enough time for research findings to be utilized for policy. The other limitation was that several PhD supervisors who were approached to participate in the study could not participate due to various reasons such as busy schedules and not having had supervised PhD students to completion. It was a requirement for PhD supervisors to have had supervised students to completion. Due to lockdown restrictions the email was the only means of recruiting participants for the study. However, people have a tendency of not responding to emails even after reminded on several occasions. Since the online questionnaire was the only option for collecting data, the response rate was very low.

This study has identified the gaps that exist in the process of translating doctoral research findings into policy. The findings from this study indicated that some studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can guide the uptake of PhD work. The study revealed that DOH was not aware of the availability of doctoral research findings which could be attributed to the format in which the research results were disseminated and the fact that students did not involve policymakers in the formulation of research questions for their projects. Research results were communicated through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed journals more than active engagement with policymakers. Findings from this study contributed to the development of a framework that guides both students and policymakers on the processes necessary for consideration of doctoral research findings in policy formulation.

Data availability

The data involved in this study are from in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys, and because the original data involves personal information, it cannot be fully disclosed due to identifiability issues. De-identifiable datasets generated and analyzed during the study will be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants who participated in this study and the university for library resources.

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FUD, NGM and MJC conceptualized, designed, and drafted the manuscript. FUD collected data and prepared data for qualitative and quantitative analyses. FUD, NGM and MJC conducted the analysis. NGM and MJC guided the design, reviewed all the draft manuscripts, and provided comments and critical revisions to the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Florence Upenyu Damba .

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Damba, F.U., Mtshali, N.G. & Chimbari, M.J. Insights on the contribution of doctoral research findings from a school in a South African University towards policy formulation. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 930 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03439-x

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Received : 27 July 2022

Accepted : 08 July 2024

Published : 18 July 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03439-x

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