Unit Profile / Clinical Activities / Teaching and Training / Research / Publications
The Division of Paediatric Rheumatology and the Paediatric Rheumatology Research Unit are the flagship African academic centres for training, research and care in paediatric rheumatology.
The Division is committed to providing world class care for local children with complex immune and rheumatica disease while ensuring that they are included in global research. The Division is also committed to training an African cohort of Paediatric Rheumatologists and Paediatricians with skills and knowledge in Paediatric Rheumatology. A major aim of the Division is to advocate for recognition, diagnosis and access to care for African children with rheumatic diseases.
STAFF
Head of Division:
Dr Kate Webb
Room 4.15
ICH Building
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital
Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch
Kate.webb@uct.ac.za
Consultants:
Dr Kate Webb, Rm 4.15 ICH, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, 7700
Dr Shehnaaz Akhalwaya, S20, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, 7700
Dr Nurea Yunis, S20, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, 7700
Research:
Dr Claire Butters (Project Manager)
Dr Timothy Spracklen (Lecturer)
Students:
Dr Mthawelanga Ndengane (Post-doc)
Dr Caris Price (PhD)
Dr Blaine Vlantis (MMed)
Dr Kimona Govender (MMed)
Dr Robert Cloete (MMed)
Dr Zainab Karaan (MMed)
UNIT PROFILE
- Red Cross Children's Hospital is the largest paediatric hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides multidisciplinary care in this resource-limited setting.
- The Division of Paediatric Rheumatology sees patients with various rheumatic diseases of varying severity and complexity.
- The paediatric rheumatology service aims to not only diagnose and treat patients with rheumatic conditions, but to also equip families with the knowledge and resources to manage their child’s disorders.
- Our clinics established a large cohort of children with rheumatic diseases, such as:
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus
- Connective tissue disorders
- Hyperinflammatory acute conditions such as Kawasaki Disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children
- We have a dedicated team of researchers involved in groundbreaking research towards discovering the underlying causes of rheumatic diseases and improved treatment strategies for these diseases, as well as to include African children in global paediatric rheumatology research
CLINICAL ACTIVITIES
We provide outpatient and inpatient care in Paediatric Rheumatology at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross Hospital. This incorporates children and adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and other connective tissue diseases from Cape Town and its drainage areas.
Clinic bookings: 021-658-5311
Clinic details:
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital Clinic, S20
Tuesdays from 12h00 - 16h00
Wednesday from 12h00 - 14h00 (new patients)
Thursdays from 08h00 - 12h00
Patient Referral Guidelines:
Urgent referrals – please contact the general paediatrics registrar on call via the Red Cross Hospital switchboard (021 658 5111) and send details via the VULA app https://www.vulamobile.com/.
Non-urgent referrals – please use the VULA app https://www.vulamobile.com/ and we will respond with appointment dates.
TEACHING AND TRAINING
We provide undergraduate and post graduate teaching in Paediatric Rheumatology to students who rotate through the paediatric department and the Department of Rheumatology. This training includes PGDip, MPhil, and registered certification with CMSA.
We also participate in the African Paediatric Fellowship Program, providing training in Paediatric Rheumatology to Paediatricians from participating Universities in Africa.
We also provide training to students with scientific backgrounds to further their research careers. These students include MSc, PhD and Post-doc students.
RESEARCH
Our primary research areas are:
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) in Cape Town: We are a leading research hub in Africa investigating the phenotype, genotype and immunological characteristics of patients with SLE.
- Kawasaki Disease in Cape Town: We have the only existing biorepository of data and samples from children in Africa with Kawasaki Disease.