Southern Africa is the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with some of the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes worldwide. IeDEA-SA undertakes research to improve the long-term delivery of HIV care and ART services. The combined database includes individual-level data on more than 640,000 adults and children on ART in 17 large collaborating cohorts in Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.