The unit was established in August 2002 in Tygerberg Academic Hospital as it became clear that care was inadequate and that there were many research questions relevant to sub-Saharan Africa that needed to be answered in a prospective systematic fashion. The research is done in collaboration with other academic institutions both inside and outside South Africa. The mission is to improve care through research. The focus areas are HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

The close proximity to the HIV Family Clinic (the second oldest in Africa) and the good working relationship with its clinicians allows KIDCRU to provide a comprehensive service to families. That the unit is situated within Tygerberg Academic Hospital, gives our children the best available special investigations and expert opinion when needed.

Currently, the unit has a staff of more than 60 people and they are conducting eight studies involving more than 600 children. The studies include antiretroviral trials, TB prevention and PMTCT (preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV) trials. In addition, there are numerous investigator-initiated sub-studies linked to the structured research.

KIDCRU is affiliated to IMPAACT (International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group), a research network sponsored by the Division of AIDS with the mission, which is worldwide in scope, to significantly decrease the mortality and morbidity associated with HIV disease in pregnant women, children, and adolescents.

They have just completed a isoniazid (INH) prevention trial through IMPAACT in which more than 400 children were enrolled – also for a second study in collaboration with Prof. Heather Zar from Red Cross Children’s Hospital evaluating INH in children receiving antiretrovirals.

Led by Dr Monika Esser and in collaboration with Professors David Speert and Tobi Kollman of the  University of British Columbia, they are completing a pilot study of the health and immunology of HIV-exposed uninfected infants. Preliminary work suggests that a small group are susceptible to severe infections commonly seen in HIV-infected infants.