The Centre for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology & Research (CIDER) in the School of Public Health & Family Medicine has been made the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for HIV Epidemiology and Research.

Landon Myer, head of the School of Public Health & Family Medicine at UCT, says this is a momentous achievement for CIDER, UCT and South Africa.

“There are not many of these collaborating centres around the world. This is international recognition of the quality of research that takes place within the School of Public Health and Family Medicine (SPHFM) and CIDER and the quality as measured by its impact on policy,” says Myer.

The success was based, in part, on UCT’s established history of collaboration with WHO, and CIDER’s longstanding contributions to WHO policy through research and innovation.

“The new Collaborating Centre is a formalisation of the partnership and a culmination of strong ties with the HIV department at WHO over 5 years,” says Myer. “The Centre will leverage CIDER’s outstanding leadership in the areas of health informatics in HIV, statistical modelling and HIV maternal and child health to support the formation of WHO’s normative policies and guidelines on HIV prevention and treatment.”

In the past, WHO has adopted research as well as programmes and services developed by CIDER in the areas of pregnancy, breastfeeding and preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. CIDER is also an international player in and plays a major role supporting international policies on paediatric HIV treatments.

“As the largest research group in the School of Public Health & Family Medicine CIDER’s expertise and resources have resulted in incredible work that makes them a deserving partner for WHO,” says Myer.