Her Excellency Nina Warken, Federal Minister of Health of Germany, visited the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Maternal, Fetal, Newborn and Child Health Care Strategies, housed at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital, on Saturday, 8 November 2025. The visit formed part of her official engagements during the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting, which took place in Polokwane. Minister Warken was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ambassador Andreas Peschke and representatives from the German Health Department and German Embassy. The visit offered an opportunity to engage with the University of Pretoria’s researchers, clinicians, and health partners, and to observe the Centre’s innovative work in maternal, neonatal, and child health, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

The visit to the Research Centre highlighted the University’s leadership in advancing evidence-based interventions that improve health outcomes for mothers, infants, and children in South Africa and across the African continent. The Centre, under the leadership of Prof Ute Feucht, conducts cutting-edge research, clinical innovation, and health systems strengthening in close collaboration with the Department of Health at district, provincial, and national levels, as well as with national and international partners. The primary aim of the visit was to showcase UP’s research impact, facilitate discussions with German counterparts, and explore avenues for future collaboration with German development agencies, universities, and research institutions.

The day began with a warm welcome from Professor Flavia Senkubuge, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, who addressed Minister Warken and her delegation with heartfelt remarks. She expressed her delight at hosting the German delegation in South Africa, noting that the visit was perfectly timed.

Professor Senkubuge highlighted the University of Pretoria’s reputation as one of the leading universities on the African continent and praised its medical school for training individuals of excellence, including Professor Ute Feucht, who leads the Centre for Maternal, Fetal, Newborn and Child Health Care Strategies. She explained that the Centre develops and implements interventions aimed at reducing maternal, fetal, newborn, and child morbidity and mortality during the critical first 1,000 days of life. She emphasised that this work is not only a priority for the University but also a national and global health priority, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

She recognised the extraordinary contributions of the University’s researchers, noting that their work is published in high-impact journals and, importantly, translates into policies that influence healthcare delivery across South Africa and the broader African region. “Today is an affirmation of the value of our partnership and reflects our shared belief in addressing challenges while focusing on solutions,” she said, highlighting the importance of collaborative engagement with both the German Ministry of Health and German institutions.

Professor Senkubuge also reflected on the longstanding collaboration between the University of Pretoria and German institutions, which spans staff and student exchanges as well as joint research initiatives. While underscoring the seriousness and importance of the visit, she emphasised the value of cultural exchange, noting the opportunities for creativity, artistry, and innovation to complement scientific collaboration. “As I always say, medicine is an art,” she said, “and today you will witness the artistry of our researchers, like Professor Feucht. So today is not just a meeting. I hope that the conversations you have here will mark the beginning of initiatives that drive our shared agenda forward, both with your Ministry, Minister, and with German institutions. I warmly welcome each of you to our city at this special time, and I am confident that this meeting will lay the foundation for impactful and enduring partnerships.”

Following the Dean’s address, Professor Ute Feucht, Director of the Centre, welcomed Minister Warken and her delegation to Centre. She expressed her pleasure in hosting the delegation on a Saturday morning and reflected on the Centre’s expansive mandate, which covers the full spectrum of maternal and infant care.

As a paediatrician holding a joint appointment with the University of Pretoria and the Tshwane District Health Service, Professor Feucht explained that her dual role allows her to integrate research and teaching with clinical realities. “This dual role adds complexity to our work, but it helps us remain grounded,” she said, underlining the Centre’s commitment to practical, evidence-based interventions.

She emphasised the Centre’s central role in improving maternal and child health outcomes in South Africa and across the African continent. Positioned at the intersection of academic research, health systems management, and policy implementation, the Centre works closely with the Department of Health as well as national and international partners to translate evidence into better care for every mother and child.

Professor Feucht highlighted the Centre’s focus on postgraduate education, noting that five PhD students graduated last year and ten are currently engaged in research projects at the Centre. She stressed that a key guiding theme across the Centre’s work is the first 1,000 days, from conception, through pregnancy, and delivery up to the child’s birth, a period of extraordinary biological growth and heightened vulnerability.

To provide the delegation with meaningful engagement, she outlined an interactive programme that would allow the visitors to explore ongoing research projects and interact with academic staff and clinicians from diverse backgrounds, including obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, and nutrition. “We hope you will use this opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with our teams, because what you are about to see is not just research on paper, it is work that impacts real mothers and children every day,” Professor Feucht said.

The delegation toured the Centre’s various project stations and maternal wards at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital, learning about ongoing research and clinical initiatives while engaging in interactive discussions with research teams, clinicians, and students. They observed neonatal care and survival programmes aimed at improving outcomes for small and sick newborns, and explored the First 1,000 Days of Life programmes, which focus on maternal nutrition, early child development, and continuity of care during this critical developmental window. The delegation also learned about pioneering Kangaroo Mother Care models, promoting skin-to-skin contact and early discharge for preterm infants, alongside audit and support programmes that use evidence-based quality improvement systems such as the Perinatal Problem Identification Programme (PPIP) to enhance maternal and perinatal outcomes. Capacity building and mentorship were highlighted through demonstrations of clinician, midwife, and health worker training for large-scale implementation. Additionally, the delegation observed the use of portable Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) technology for early diagnosis and referral at primary and district hospital levels, and the locally developed Umbiflow™ Doppler technology, which screens for women at risk of fetal growth restriction and risk of stillbirth. The group also engaged with the Sihamba Kunye (‘We Walk Together’) Side-by-Side Project, a two-year implementation science initiative in Tshwane District that integrates postnatal care for mothers and infants through the First 1,000-day Roadmap.

The Centre’s work encompasses research, clinical care, and health systems interventions. Notable projects include placental function testing for stillbirth prevention at the primary healthcare level, studies on infants affected by fetal growth restriction, and investigations into the impact of maternal HIV on child outcomes. Neonatal care innovations are designed to ensure small and sick newborns survive and thrive. Audit and monitoring programs such as PPIP provide data-driven improvements in maternal and perinatal care. Training and education programmes build professional capacity to implement interventions at scale. Kangaroo Mother Care initiatives, audit and support programs, capacity-building efforts, Point-of-Care Ultrasound, Umbiflow™, and the Sihamba Kunye Side-by-Side Project collectively demonstrate a holistic, evidence-based approach to maternal, neonatal, and child health.

The impact of the Centre’s work has been substantial. Research and clinical initiatives have improved survival rates and care quality for small and sick newborns, enhanced maternal nutrition and postnatal support during the first 1,000 days, and informed evidence-based quality improvement interventions that influence national perinatal policy. Postgraduate education efforts contribute to capacity building, with PhD students playing a vital role in translating research into practice. The development of low-cost, locally adapted technologies, including Umbiflow, has enhanced the Centre’s ability to provide timely, accurate fetal monitoring, improving outcomes for high-risk pregnancies and contributing to national and regional health systems.

Minister Nina Warken reflected on the profound importance of the Centre’s work, acknowledging its important role in advancing maternal and child health in South Africa. She highlighted that the Centre specialises in the research and treatment of women with placental insufficiency and the care of premature infants, while also focusing on the protection of children born to HIV-infected mothers. With over five million people living with HIV, South Africa remains one of the countries most affected by the virus worldwide. Despite challenges related to staffing and infrastructure, the country’s infant mortality rate remains comparatively low, underscoring the impact of evidence-based interventions.

Commenting on the human dimension of this work, Minister Warken said, “Women with high-risk pregnancies and mothers with premature babies experience times of uncertainty. They need not only medical care, but also compassion and a support network. Therefore, the work at Kalafong Hospital is much more than just medicine. It is a deeply human mission. I wish you, your patients, and the hospital all the best for the future.”

The Centre’s work demonstrates the potential for joint research projects, staff and student exchanges, and policy translation that strengthens both countries’ health systems. The delegation toured obstetric and neonatal wards, gaining a deeper appreciation of clinical practices, care pathways, and the integration of research into practice.