MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt)

MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) is a leading public health research unit based in Agincourt, Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Established in 1992 as a collaboration between the South African Medical Research Council and the University of the Witwatersrand, it operates a long running health and demographic surveillance system focused on rural populations. The unit is dedicated to advancing population health research in low resource settings.

Its publications highlight strong expertise in HIV epidemiology, ageing, mental health, and chronic disease. Studies examine HIV risk among older adults, ART access, and migrant health, alongside multimorbidity, food insecurity, cognitive decline, and informal caregiving. Work on obesity, dyslipidaemia, and genomic partnerships such as AWI Gen reflects integration of clinical, social, and genetic data to address health transitions in sub Saharan Africa.

The unit contributes influential evidence on how social conditions, migration, gender, and rural inequities shape disease patterns. Research on collaborative mental healthcare and traditional healing demonstrates commitment to contextually grounded interventions. Through longitudinal cohorts and community embedded research, it plays a pivotal role in informing policy, strengthening health systems, and advancing knowledge on health transitions in Africa.