MICHAEL MAPONGWANA
Early in 2011 we were ready to start the very large and very complicated Promise (IMPAACT 1077BF and 1077FF) study at Michael Mapongwana Community Health Centre (MMCHC) in Khayelitsha. The problem was that we needed quite a bit of space in order to conduct the study in a manner that ensured participant privacy and without getting in the way of the clinic staff. The facility manager kindly gave permission for us to put up a prefab building on the premises. Stellenbosch University provided the funding and on 25 May 2011, we enrolled our first patient.
The building consists of a large reception / admin area, two counseling rooms, of which one also serves as a procedure room, and a doctor’s room. All participants for the study are recruited from the antenatal clinic at MMCHC and are seen for the first time (screening visit) in the prefab office. Once enrolled onto the study, the visits can take place a MMCHC or Tygerberg.
