Hypertension is no longer only a concern for older people.
According to Prof. Lebo Gafane-Matemane from the Faculty of Health Sciences it is affecting younger Africans, increasing the risk of kidney disease and heart complications, and demanding a shift from treatment to prevention.
Prof. Gafane-Matemane draws on more than a decade of research, arguing that Africa cannot rely solely on global models to address hypertension.
She says the continent requires research and treatment strategies that reflect its own populations, disease patterns and healthcare realities.
Calling for greater investment in early screening, kidney health monitoring and precision medicine, she warns that the burden of hypertension extends beyond high blood pressure to include chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and growing economic costs.
"The face of hypertension is changing rapidly, and we should worry about the consequences such as kidney disease," says Prof. Gafane-Matemane.
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Better the laboratory
Beyond laboratory research, Prof. Gafane-Matemane highlights the importance of translating scientific knowledge into community action. She says research should not end with scientific publications but should lead to better healthcare, increased public awareness and earlier diagnosis.
"It is necessary to link knowledge generation with application," she says. She is also presenting plans for the Cardio-Renal Health Research Initiative, which seeks to strengthen screening, prevention and collaborative research across Africa.
Looking ahead, she calls for hypertension screening to begin earlier in life, including among children and young adults, with routine checks for early kidney damage alongside blood pressure monitoring. 
Prof. Lebo Gafane-Matemane She also encourages multidisciplinary collaboration, investment in biomarker research and partnerships across countries to improve cardiovascular and kidney health.
Reflecting on her academic journey, Prof. Gafane-Matemane says meaningful research begins by asking how science can improve people's lives. "Focus on research that matters most not only to you but to those who would benefit from your work."
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African forms of hypertension respond differently
Her research focuses on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a hormone system that regulates blood pressure, fluid balance and kidney function.
Through studies conducted in South Africa, including the *SABPA, PURE and African-PREDICT studies, her work has shown that many Africans present with low-renin forms of hypertension, which respond differently to treatment than other forms of the disease.
Understanding these biological differences can improve patient care by allowing healthcare professionals to select treatments based on individual hormonal profiles rather than relying on a single approach for everyone.
Questions that need to be answered are "What does the RAAS mean for hypertension care in Africa?" and "What are the implications for cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease?". These questions will shape the future direction of her research, Prof. Gafane-Matemane says.
*SABPA refers to the Sympathetic activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans study, while PURE refers to the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study and PREDICT to the African prospective study on the Early Detection and Identification of Cardiovascular disease and Hypertension.
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Research@NWU July 2026
