The NHLS transformation process facilitated the creation of a much-needed centre for disease surveillance and control in southern Africa and, to some extent, in Africa.

The NICD, based in Sandringham, Johannesburg, has been created within the NHLS. It consists of the former National Institute for Virology (NIV) and microbiology laboratories of the former SAIMR. The NICD gathers intelligence on communicable diseases and provides expertise to southern African regions regarding outbreak and communicable disease burdens, such as respiratory, diarrhoeal diseases, meningitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The NICD undertakes research focused on questions related to communicable diseases in southern Africa and it aims to build capacity in this field.

Go to the NICD website: http://www.nicd.ac.za