The HIV Mental Health Research Unit (HIV MHRU) is located in the Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. The Unit's platform of clinical service, teaching and research, extending to numerous hospitals and clinics in greater Cape Town, was established in response to the growing recognition of the burden of mental disorders in people living with HIV – including depressive, anxiety, substance abuse and neurocognitive disorders.

Our work is pioneering in the region, with our teaching and research programme supported by several large grant awards, and receives established international recognition.

The Provincial Government of the Western Cape initially funded GSH-HIV Neuropsychiatry in 2006 as a response to the needs of persons living with HIV (PLWH) with severe mental illness. In response to this stimulus, and the growing recognition of the burden of mental disorders in PLWH with depressive, anxiety, substance abuse and neurocognitive disorders, we have built on this platform to develop a program of clinical service, teaching and research relevant to the eld of HIV and mental health. As the Division has grown, we have been able to extend our service, teaching and research platform to include old age psychiatry and related degenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, brain tumours, neuro-in ammatory diseases (such as lupus), metabolic disorders, and vascular brain conditions.

We have secured funding from external agencies including USAID/PEPFAR, MRC, the NRF and the NIMH. Our clinical platform extends to numerous hospitals and clinics in greater Cape Town. Our teaching and research program has led to several large grant awards, and several smaller projects. In the areas of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, HIV and mental illness, HIV and adherence, and HIV and brief interventions, our work is pioneering in the region, with growing international recognition.