About the organisation
The Childhood Hypertension Consortium of Africa (CHCAfrica) is a pan-African, multidisciplinary non-profit established in 2021 to protect and strengthen the cardiovascular health of children and adolescents. With experts in paediatric care and a strong focus on community engagement, we work to drive evidence-based policy change, develop paediatric hypertension guidelines, generate Africa-specific reference standards, validate blood pressure devices, and equip healthcare professionals with the skills needed to deliver better care for Africa’s children.
Vision
A continent where every child has access to early screening, accurate diagnosis, and the opportunity to live a healthy, heart-strong life.
Mission
To build Africa's first comprehensive database on childhood hypertension, enabling early detection, improved treatment, and life-changing research that protects and strengthens the health of African children.
How it all started...
The Childhood Hypertension Consortium of Africa (CHCAfrica) was established in March 2021 (formerly known as CHCSA) and registered as a non-profit organisation on 3 August 2021. The CHCAfrica consists of experts in the field of pediatric hypertension, representing all provinces in the country with a primary focus on cardiovascular health in children and adolescents in Africa.
The CHCAfrica aims to drive policy change in healthcare for children and adolescents in Africa and contribute to ongoing community engagement and outreach to promote health education among parents, teachers and children.
The CHCAfrica will be developing ongoing projects in Africa aimed at improving hypertension care and management among the childhood and adolescent populations of the country and to develop the first clinical practice guidelines for the management of hypertension in paediatrics.
The CHCAfrica is committed to:
form a dedicated multidisciplinary group of experts with a special interest on hypertension in children and adolescents in Africa.
establish a research strategy for the collection of nationally representative blood pressure and body composition data.
guide the process in developing South African specific normative reference values for blood pressure and body composition independent of international standards and guidelines.
collaborate with relevant societies and associations and any other interested groups for improving and expanding on the current guidelines and standards for paediatric hypertension care and primary prevention in Africa.
drive validation studies for paediatric blood pressure devices in Africa and ensure proper educational tools for nurses, clinicians and research scientists in blood pressure measurement by auscultation and oscillometry.
The CHCAfrica values inclusiveness, transparency, transformation and integrity.
For more information please reach us at info@chcafrica.org or contact us at +27 64 514 7994