Wits RHI is a renowned African institute in a world-class African University tackling the continent's health challenges through science and innovation.
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22 Esselen Street, Hillbrow
Johannesburg
2001
| Monday | 08:00 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 16:30 |
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Wits RHI was founded in 1994 by Prof Helen Rees. In consultation with the democratically elected South African government, she founded the Reproductive Health Research Unit (RHRU) at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Recognising that the old health research agenda did not address the needs of all South Africa’s citizens, a new research agenda was developed aimed at shaping new health policies. As co-author of the Maternal, Child and Women’s Health policy, Prof Rees established RHRU as a research and training institution focused on sexual and reproductive health and later HIV as an emerging epidemic at that time. The work then combined clinical, epidemiological, health systems and behavioural research to help formulate national health policy.
A small RHRU team worked from Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, supported by grants from the Kaiser Foundation and the UK’s Department for International Development. The RHRU’s partnering organisations included the Medical Research Council, and international agencies such as Family Health International. In 2005 the organisation moved from Soweto to Hillbrow in inner city Johannesburg as it expanded its work to include a much closer relationship with both the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Health.
The RHRU’s early research focused on contraceptive access, microbicide development, safe abortion, and female condom development. Key to this early work was the establishment of partnerships with local communities where the Unit’s work was taking place.
