KZN CTU engages Civil Society
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Council on AIDS (PCA), led by the office of the KZN Premier, in collaboration with the Provincial Civil Society, organised a Scientific Research Symposium with KZN Research Institutions, on 8 and 9 April 2021. The KZN PCA provides leadership, coordination and monitoring and evaluation on the provinces’ integrated response to HIV, STI and TB.
Members of the KwaZulu Natal Clinical Trials Unit: Prof Kogie Naidoo, Dr Nigel Garrett, Dr Cheryl Baxter, Dr Reshmi Dassaye, Ms Neeta Morar, Ms Zanele Gwamanda and Mrs Ivy Kaunda shared their research activities, and engaged in robust discussion on strategies to meaningfully engage communities in therapeutic and prevention research in HIV, TB and COVID-19.
“The need to educate communities on the scientific research process and commonly used research lexicon will help strengthen collaboration between researchers and communities, and help improve translation of new scientific advances to affected communities”, said Prof Kogie Naidoo, eThekwini CRS leader.
Civil society called for more regular updates on progress on research activities, and resolved to lobby for greater recognition of the research sector in the response to AIDS, TB and COVID at a local, provincial and national level.