Swedish born Kristina Wallengren, PhD, MPH, is a passionate researcher who has lived and worked in South Africa for the past ten years. Dr Wallengren is the founder and executive director of TB and HIV Investigative Network (THINK) a registered non-profit organisation that conducts clinical research on tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

When not working at her office in Florida Road, Durban, she can be found either at a research site in the car park of the King Dinuzulu Hospital Complex in Sydenham, Durban or at the Doris Goodwin MRD TB
Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

THINK is currently conducting clinical trials aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment for TB and HIV infected individuals.The TB and HIV burden in KwaZulu-Natal is among the highest in the world. The province also suffers from the highest number of drug resistant TB cases per population, and was the scene for the ‘XDR TB outbreak’ in 2005 leading to the uncovering of Extensively Drug Resistant (XDR) TB. New treatments under evaluation at THINK include the first new TB drugs to be developed since the 1950s. These have the possibility of shortening treatment for both drug sensitive and drug resistant TB to two to three months and to change millions of lives by providing a single cure for all strains of TB in the next 10 years. Dr Wallengren said, “We want to save the world.”

A specific field of interest is TB in children who are chronically under diagnosed. However, they are vulnerable to infection due to the close contact that they have with their mothers (who may be infected) from one to two years of age.

Due to the duration of the clinical trials, which can take place over one to two years and include frequent monitoring visits, the research staff get to know their patients well. Consequently, the staff’s interaction often goes beyond clinical treatment to include involvement and assistance in social issues that impact on their patient’s daily lives.

THINK is supported through international research funding as well as government, philanthropy, and industry, while research is maintained through grants.

Dr Wallengren said, “People come to us because they know that the quality of our research data is excellent. We work collaboratively with a number of institutions.”

However, THINK also needs to generate income in order to remain sustainable. One of the most important aspects of the organisation’s work is education and training in schools and workplaces on healthy living practices.

Dr Wallengren is growing this service to encompass employee wellness programmes, which have become an important part of implementing the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act. Through on-site employee wellness programmes, employers will be able to provide education classes, screenings, and facilitating adherence to medical protocols and follow up assistance to identify and manage health issues and preventable illness. This service also negates the need for employees to take
regular days off work to collect medicines or have health issues monitored.

THINK welcomes social economic development spend and as its beneficiaries are predominately black people, businesses can obtain maximum points for Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment
scorecards.