Centre for maternal, fetal, newborn and child healthcare

The UP/SAMRC Research Centre for Maternal, Fetal, Newborn and Child Health Care Strategies was established in 1997 as a research unit under the directorship of Prof RC Pattinson. The unit’s inception saw it exist as an extra-mural unit of the South African Medical Research Council (SA-MRC) under the title; The Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies Research Unit (MIHCSU). In 2017, the centre was awarded a research centre status under the University of Pretoria, where it would have to report to an advisory board. Presently, the centre reports to the SA MRC as well as the University of Pretoria and functions as a research centre. 

The centres research focus is developing and implementing effective interventions in maternal, new-born and child health care at primary and secondary levels of care. Contributions have been made both nationally by providing national audit reports and internationally by collaboration with various universities and agencies. In the last decade, 120 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published. The centre is currently co-directed by Prof Ute Feucht.