A systems approach to evaluating prospects for the control of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Khayelitsha, South Africa

Helen is an epidemiologist with a particular interest in drug-resistant tuberculosis. Her Fellowship work aims to determine what is needed to effectively treat patients and reduce the incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in a South African township where there is a high burden of both HIV and TB. She aims to do this by matching clinical data with information on the exact TB bacteria that are infecting each patient, and assessing changes over time. Specifically, the research aims to determine whether currently available diagnostic tools and treatment regimens will be sufficient to control the drug-resistant TB epidemic, and if not, what improvements will provide the greatest benefit.

This grant was awarded under the scheme's previous name of Intermediate Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.