​Prof Nico Gey van Pittius, Vice Dean: Research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) at Stellenbosch University (SU), has recently been appointed as chairperson of the Provincial Health Research Committee (PHRC) of the Western Cape.

The PHRC is the provincial counterpart of the National Health Research Committee (NHRC) and consists of members that are representative of the province and stakeholders within the province, such as government institutions, universities, NGO's, research institutions and community-based structures. 

The mandate of the provincial health research committees is to inform, facilitate and conduct health research and to mobilise resources for research in their respective provinces. The committee also facilitates collaboration with research stakeholders, enable capacity building and assist with translating health research findings for use in policy development and service provision purposes.

This is a very broad mandate, but Prof Gey van Pittius is confident that they can make a difference. "I think the Western Cape has one of the best-functioning PHR committees in the country, and as such we have an important role to play to set an example of how health research should be informed and facilitated."

Although Prof Gey van Pittius has been the SU's representative on the committee for the past year and a half, he is excited about his position as chair. "We have the opportunity to make a bigger contribution to ensuring a well-functioning and vibrant health research environment for the benefit of all stakeholders in the province, including the patients whom we serve."

He says the university, as one of the key stakeholders, has a major role to play in ensuring health research is conducted optimally and to the greatest benefit of all. "Research must be linked to, and the findings integrated into, broader health policy planning and health programme management and implementation. SU is particularly interested in the social impact of everything it does, and therefore we are very excited to be able to act as a link between those who are doing the research and those who need and can implement the findings," he explains.

Prof Gey van Pittius is adamant that the challenges he wants to focus on most in his term as chair would be to try and speed up the approval process for research, as well as to ensure the translation of research into policy and practice. "We need to find innovative ways to ensure the line of communication between the researcher and the final users of the created knowledge is open and streamlined." He is also looking forward to strengthening research capacity on all levels and working with the team in the Directorate of Health Impact Assessment under the leadership of the deputy chairperson of the PHRC, Dr Anthony Hawkridge.

"The appointment is a great honour for me on a personal level. I follow in the footsteps of people like Prof Jimmy Volmink, the current Dean of the FMHS, who was the first chairperson of the Western Cape PHRC after its establishment and whom I have worked with closely over a number of years. Professionally it is always nice to be recognised by your peers as someone who could fill such a position dutifully and honourably. I hope to be able to do just that."

Photo by Damien Schumann