?Overall The overall goal of the Southern African Regional Center of Non-Communicable Diseases Research Excellence (RCRE) is to build the capacity and collaborations necessary to conduct regionally-relevant research related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), initially starting with focused research in Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa (at University of Witwatersrand) involving three priority NCDs. The three priority areas are breast cancer, hypertension, and road-traffic accident trauma. We will also identify research gaps and conduct initial data needs assessments and small pilot data strengthening projects in these areas. These areas of focus were chosen due to the high prevalence of these conditions and their substantial contribution to disease in southern Africa, and the dearth of data related to risk factors, treatment, outcomes, and other clinical/epidemiologic aspects of these conditions. We anticipate that the capacity and collaborations built as a result of this project will lead to NCD-related research of direct
We propose establishment of a Southern African Regional Center for Research Excellence with a mission to build local capacity and diverse collaborations necessary to conduct regionally-relevant and policy-impacting research related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We would initially start with focused research in Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa (at University of Witwatersrand) involving three NCDs (breast cancer, hypertension, and road-traffic accident trauma), which have been prioritized based on their high burden in southern Africa and the dearth of available data related to risk factors, treatment, outcomes, and other clinical/epidemiologic aspects. We will also identify research priorities, perform initial data needs assessments and conduct small pilot data strengthening and standardization projects in these priority areas, with the longer-term view of exploring regional data pooling. We anticipate that the proposed project would lead to NCD-related research of direct health policy relevance, and of benefit to low- and middle-income country settings in southern Africa and elsewhere.
| Efstathiou, Jason A; Bvochora-Nsingo, Memory; Gierga, David P et al. (2014) Addressing the growing cancer burden in the wake of the AIDS epidemic in Botswana: The BOTSOGO collaborative partnership. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 89:468-75 |
