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DR OLUKEMI BABALOLA
Position: Researcher/Project Manager
Qualification: MD, MSc (Epidemiology & Biostatistics)
Phone: +27 (0)11 717 3434
Email: olukemi.babalola1@wits.ac.za
Olukemi Babalola is the current Project Manager and Researcher on the Batlhokomedi Community Health Worker’s Study. Prior to this, she was involved in data and project management research functions and quality assurance processes in a large cohort study where over 35,000 mothers and their infants were enrolled, at the Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogen Research Unit (RMPRU), Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg. In this capacity, she was given a Recognition Award for Excellent Performance in 2015. She had over 15 years of academic and clinical experience on HIV/AIDS/STI/TB in Nigeria and more than four years of academic, teaching and clinical/socio-behavioural research experience in maternal & child health, HIV/AIDS and health system strengthening in South Africa.
Research Interests
Kemi is avidly interested in health system strengthening and the reach of health delivery particularly to the very vulnerable groups such as out-of-school teenage mothers and adolescents. This includes enhancing access to healthcare services and products through the development of strategic policy decisions, health system interventions, the understanding of the complex interaction between human behavior, community actions and access to healthcare. She is also particularly interested in epidemiological approaches to the validation of data collection tools using both qualitative and quantitative approaches..
DR MAYEESHA YU-HWEI TSENG
Position: Post-doctoral researcher fellow
Qualification: PhD (Health Policy)
Phone: +27 (0)11 717 2234
Email: mayeesha.tseng@wits.ac.za
Mayeesha is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at CHP and currently participating in the Bathlokomedi Community Health Workers Study. Prior to this, she worked with NGOs and government in Taiwan to facilitate exchanges and understanding among health professionals in Taiwan and eastern European countries. She translated over 20 books on health, environment and poverty issues for Taiwanese readers, among them two are works of Nobel laureates. She is guest editor and writes regularly for South Asia Watch, a web-based knowledge platform sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Mayeesha earned her PhD from the Institute of Health Policy and Management, National Taiwan University, examining the extent of inequalities to which public and NGO health services are utilized among the poor in Bangladesh.
Research Interests
Mayeesha is interested in social determinants of health in the developing countries, with special focus on NGOs' role as well as relationships between NGOs, their clients and the public sector. It entails understanding the trend of global health discourse and how health systems operate at national and grassroots level.
Teurai Rwafa
Position:PhD Fellow
Qualification: MPH (SBCC); BSc. HEHP
Phone: +27 11 717 2236
Email: rwafateurai@gmail.com
Teurai Rwafa is a SARChI (Health Systems and Policy) PhD research fellow keen on studying the field of health promotion, particularly the institutionalization of its policy, structure and practice within different levels of the complex health system.
Research Interests
Her research interests include; relationship power and HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, health policy implementation, equity and social justice in health and health care.
Ejemai Eboreime
Position: PhD Intern Fellow
Qualification: MB,BS; PMP; MScPH (Health Services Management); DLSHTM
Email: ejemai.eboreime1@students.wits.ac.za
Ejemai is a public health physician, certified Project Management Professional and a Health Systems & Policy Specialist. Having obtained his Medical Degree in Nigeria, he studied for an MSc in Public Health (Health Services Management) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He works as a Senior Health Systems Specialist at the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nigeria where he is involved in Primary Healthcare Policy Development, Monitoring & Evaluation of PHC interventions as well as disease surveillance and control (particularly Poliomyelitis and Measles).
Research Interests
Presently a WHO-TDR and SARChI PhD fellow at the Centre for Health Policy, Wits School of Public Health, his interests include applying implementation/ improvement science methods within the context of Health Policy and Systems Research, particularly as relates to evidence-based Primary Healthcare planning in Low and Middle Income Countries.
Ronnie Nemangwele
Position: Administrative Assistant
Qualification: BTech in Information Technology: Software Development ; HC in Accounting Science
Phone: +27 11 717 3423
Email: ronnie.nemangwele@wits.ac.za
Ronnie is responsible for maintaining the CHP offices and ensuring that everything is runs well. He also supports CHP’s with IT technicians when necessary and manage CHP website. He enjoys learning new things that will benefit him in the future.
One day, he would like to have his company that will provide services of creating website, hosting and app programming using Android and eclipse.
Glenrine Flowers
Position: Secretary
Phone: +27 11 717 3420
Email: Glenrine.flowers@wits.ac.za
Glenrine is responsible for the daily office administration of CHP, as well as arranging and ensuring all travel requirements, conference bookings and workshop requirements are met.
She enjoys keeping fit and maintains a healthy eating lifestyle. She formally worked at the University of Cape Town Law Faculty compiling statistics for Legal Aid South Africa before joining CHP.
Prof. Jane Goudge
Position: Director/Professor of Health Policy and Systems
Qualification: PhD, MSc, MA
Phone: +27 11 717 3425
Email: jane.goudge@gmail.com
Jane has been conducting research in the field of health systems and policy research for over 20 years. She has a PhD in development economics from London University. Key themes of her work include barriers to access to care, inequities in the financing of health care, strategies to improve universal coverage and implementation of national health insurance in South Africa. She has developed a district learning site to support an organizational change with district and facility managers. Recent major themes in her work include the role of community health workers in bridging the gap between households and the health system, supporting the provision of integrated chronic care, and retention in care of adults with chronic illnesses. This has included a pragmatic RCT to examine effect of shifting some tasks of chronic disease management, particularly hypertension, to lay health workers. She is currently leading a study on CHW programmes providing integrated community based care, examining the effect of different models of supervision. She is also establishing a rapid review service at the Centre to be able to provide local decision-makers with timely syntheses of evidence.
Research Interests
Jane has worked on a range of issues, spanning the broader areas of financing, human resource, and governance. This includes topics such as: geographical inequities, national health accounts, public financial management, public-private mix issues, contracting, pharmaceutical regulation, comprehensive primary health care, community health workers, chronic diseases & multi-morbidity, and mental health care systems. Although originally an economist, her methodological focus is broad, ranging from pragmatic trials, before and after studies, cohorts, through ethnographic methods and district learning sites.
Professor Laetitia Rispel
Position: HPRG Scientific Director
Qualification: PhD
Phone: +27 11 717 2043
Email: laetitia.rispel@wits.ac.za
Laetitia Rispel is the Scientific Director of the MRC Health Policy Research Group (HPRG) within the Centre for Health Policy. She is the Head of the Wits School of Public Health and holds a PhD from Wits University. In September 2015, she was awarded a research chair for "Research on the health workforce for equity and quality" as part of the DST/NRF South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI). From July 2008 to June 2012 when the programme finalised, she led the Research on the State of Nursing (RESON) project. Her research expertise is broadly in public health, and specifically in health policy and systems research (HPSR), with more than 70 publications (journal articles, book chapters and technical reports) in this field. Her induction into both the national and international Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame is professional recognition for her scholarly work in nursing. She serves on the governing council of the World Federation of Public Health Associations.
Ms. Nonhlanhla Nxumalo
Position: Deputy Director / Senior Researcher
Qualification: PhD
Phone:Tel: 27 11 717 3432
Email: Nonhlanhla.Nxumalo@wits.ac.za
Nonhlanhla Nxumalo is a Senior Researcher and Deputy Director of the Centre for Health Policy. She has 10 experience as a health systems and policy researcher.
Research Interests
Her interests are in access to health care, social exclusion and human resources for health. Her research focus has been on the strengthening of the district health system and primary health care. Her interests also include management and leadership and accountability in the health system. Her core area of research is on Community Health Workers.
Ms. Prudence Ditlopo
Position: Senior Researcher
Qualification: MA
Tel: +27 11 717 3433
Email: prudence.ditlopo@wits.ac.za
Prudence Ditlopo holds a Masters Degree in Research Psychology from the University of the Western Cape. Her working experience has been mainly in public health research in the fields of sexual and reproductive health, including HIV/AIDS and gender and maternal health. She is currently working on a 3-country project aimed at investigating the recruitment, motivation and retention of health care workers.
Research Interests
Prudence's main research interests include HIV/AIDS, gender based violence, strategies for male involvement in reproductive health issues, health policy and health systems.
Mrs. Bahihah Mohamed
Position: Grants, Operations & Development Manager
Qualifications: MBA, Diploma in Cost & Management Accounting and Certificate in Project Management
Phone: 011 717 3445
Email: bahihah.mohamed@wits.ac.za
Bahihah Mohamed joined the Centre for Health Policy (CHP) in July 2018, as the Grants Operations and Development Manager and overseas the administration staff. Bahihah has been an employee of WITS University since July 2009.Her experience in WITS includes working in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment as the Project Accountant; working in the Faculty of Commerce Law and Management in the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR) as the Programme Management Officer and in SPH in AGINCOURT as the Senior Finance Officer.
She was employed by WITS RHi as a Grants Manager (after leaving AGINCOURT), before joining CHP in July’18. Bahihah is a graduate of the Wits Management Development Programme, has an MBA; Diploma in Cost & Management Accounting and a Certificate in Project Management, and continues to tutor Business Management students.
Professor John Eyles
Position: DST/NRF Chair for Health Policy and Systems Research
Qualifications: PhD, FRSC (McMaster University, Canada)
Phone: +27 11 717 2200
Email: john.eyles@wits.ac.za
The Centre for Health Policy appointed Professor John Eyles on 1 January 2014 as the new Chair for Health Policy and Systems Research. This is one of 60 new chairs allocated within the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) for an initial five-year term. He will conduct research in universal access (also known as universal coverage) to quality care for all South Africans. Prof Eyles is co-supervising the PhD of a staff member of CHP, and is involved in various collaborations within the Wits School of Public Health to mentor and build research and writing capacity. He has worked with the School for over six years, during which time he has brought new insights to understanding the South African health system and its challenges.
Professor Eyles is also a professor in the School of Geography & Earth Sciences at McMaster University in Canada. He holds cross-appointments in the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis and the Departments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Sociology. His research interests in health focus on comparative analysis of health care definitions, and national and regional delivery and resource allocation mechanisms in health and welfare policy. He is also interested in lay conceptions and definitions of health and illness, social indicators and health status measurement, and public participation in health care decision-making.
Dr. Duane Blaauw
Position: Senior Researcher
Qualifications: BSc (Medical), MBBCh, Fellow of College of Public Health Medicine (FCOHM), Masters in Public & Development Management
, Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, Diploma in Public Health, Diploma
in occupational Health
Phone: +27 11 717 3422
Email: duane.blaauw@wits.ac.za
Duane has nearly 20 years of experience in supporting health service development at various levels of the public health system in South Africa with an emphasis on human resources, health policy analysis, health planning, health information systems and health management. He has been actively engaged in research since 1996. His early research focused on cancer epidemiology and the epidemiology of infectious diseases in South Africa.
Since 2001 he has been working in health systems and health policy research at CHP, where he has led the development of work on maternal health services and the application of organisational studies to health systems research. He has participated in a number of DFID-funded international collaborative research programmes on health systems and is the joint programme leader for human resources research on the current RESYST programme. He is also the principal investigator of a multi-country research project on the linkages between maternal health and health systems strengthening.
Research Interests
His current research interests include maternal health, human resources for health, health worker practice and motivation, incentives, discrete choice experiments and institutional economics.
Ms. Bronwyn Harris
Position: Researcher
Qualification: MA in Psychology
Phone: +27 11 717 3427
Email:bronwyn.harris@wits.ac.za
Bronwyn Harris holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MA in Psychology, from the University of the Witwatersrand. She has examined issues of race, gender, identity and prejudice in the context of countries transitioning to democracy. She is currently working on an overview of health policy in post-apartheid South Africa and the Health Systems Knowledge Network Hub of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.
Research Interests
Her research background includes exploring violence, transition and trauma in relation to refugees, ex-combatants, vigilantes and school-going youth.
Ms. Pascalia Munyewende
Position: Researcher
Qualification: MA (Forced Migration Studies)
Phone:Tel: 27 11 717 3426
Email: pascalia.munyewende@wits.ac.za
Pascalia Munyewende is a researcher with a background in Media Studies from the Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. She has a Masters Degree in Forced Migration Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Research Interests
Pascalia's research interests include refugee studies, perceptions of risk against HIV/AIDS, media freedom, gender reportage in the media and issues on trade and industry. She is currently working on a project on Researching Equity in Health Care systems (REACH).
Ms. Loveday Penn-Kekana
Position: Researcher
Qualification: Masters
Phone: +27 11 717 3424
Email: lovedaypk@yahoo.com
Loveday Penn-Kekana holds a joint appointment of researcher at the Centre for Health Policy at the University of the Witwatersrand, and qualitative research fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK. She is a medical anthropologist by training, who enjoys working in multi-disciplinary research teams.
Research Interests
She has extensive experience working in the fields of nursing, maternal health and health systems in South Africa.
Dr. Liz Thomas
Position: Senior Scientist
Qualification: PhD
Phone: +27 11 717 3431
Email: liz.thomas@wits.ac.za and ethomas@mrc.ac.za
Dr Liz Thomas has been based at CHP for 8 years. She is a specialist scientist at the MRC s Health and Development Research group. Liz has a development background having worked as a town and regional planner in local and provincial government and thereafter in facilitating low income informal settlement upgrading. She has a PhD in urban health, exploring the role of social capital in women s health in two informal settlements, one in Durban and the other in Zambia.
Research Interests
Liz's research interests include social determinants of health, the interface between health and development policies and HIV and local government. She also has an interest in building research capacity in Southern Africa.
Ms. Siphiwe Thwala
Position: Researcher
Qualification: Masters
Phone: +27 11 717 2226
Email: siphiwe.thwala@wits.ac.za
Siphiwe is currently completing a PhD in Maternal Health Systems Strengthening in South Africa. Her work forms part of a four-year project entitled "“Mainstreaming a health systems approach to delivery of maternal health services: transdisciplinary research in Rwanda and South Africa” (WOTRO) which primarily focuses on gathering practicable knowledge for improving service organisation and delivery for maternal health.
Research Interests
Siphiwe is keen on researching equity in provision of maternal health and how to create demand for maternal care services. She is also interested in policy development to ensure the uptake of maternal health services.
Felix Limbani
Position: Researcher
Qualification: Researcher
Phone: N/A
Email: Felix.limbani@wits.ac.za
Felix is a CHP fellow and PhD student who is managing a three year hypertension trial in the rural Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga known as ‘Nkateko’. He holds Bachelor of Science and Masters in Public Health Degrees from University of Malawi. He has 10 years of work experience in public health research and community development programmes. Felix has pioneered the establishment of a knowledge translation platform for Malawi comprising a group of researchers and policy makers working towards evidence based decision making.
Research Interests
His research interest and background includes sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, HIV and AIDS prevention and impact mitigation, and knowledge translation.
Assoc. Professor Matthew Chersich
Position: Associate Professor
Qualification: PhD
Phone: +27 11 717 3439
Email:Matthew.Chersich@wits.ac.za
Matthew is an epidemiologist and has done research in South Africa, East Africa as well as with international organisations in Switzerland and Belgium. As an alumnus of the Faculty of Health Sciences (MBBCh 1998 & DTM&H 2002), Matthew has strong research links with the University including posts at the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit, and Perinatal HIV Research Unit.
He has about 50 publications, seven academic qualifications from leading institutions (including a doctorate in medical science) and international standing as a researcher and technical writer. Matthew also holds an appointment as Visiting Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Gent and frequently provides technical advice to WHO and other international organisations.
Research Interests
Research interests include maternal health and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; investigation of associations between alcohol, sexual behaviour and HIV; and the prevalence and meanings of vaginal practices in Africa, and their relation to HIV acquisition.Jane has worked on a range of issues: geographical inequities, national health accounts, public-private mix issues, pharmaceutical regulation, comprehensive primary health care, community health workers, and contracting with NGOs. Although originally an economist, her methodological focus is been longitudinal qualitative methods. Her research has focused on the interaction between households and the health system, particularly the affordability of care and the extent to which the costs causes impoverishment, as well as the reasons as to why patients withdraw from ARV treatment, the role of community care givers in bridging the gap between households and the health system, and the potential of universal coverage in financing to increase access to care.
Dan Nhemachena
Position: Honorary Researcher
Qualifications: MBChB, MPhil (HIV/AIDS Management)
Phone: +27 11 10 590 1506
Email: dnhemachena@auruminstitute.org
Dr Dan Nhemachena has been practicsing in the field of public health for five years. He previously worked with the University of Stellenbsoch to support the Western Cape Department of Health and the City of Cape Town in health systems strengthening, leading to the successful integration of HIV and TB services at various clinics in the Cape. Currently employed at the Aurum Institute in Parktown, Johannesburg, Dan manages three clinics on behalf of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute. He also leads various clinical teams at three Gauteng Department of Health facilities, and is involved in the strategic planning and implementation of the Hillbrow Health Precinct, a long-term urban regneeration project focusing on health, innovation and research.
Research Interests
Dan is passionate about public health. He will support the Wits School of Public health through lectures and facilitating access to various sites. He has worked with CHP in facilitating MPH students' access at the Hillbrow Community Health Centre, and has been involved in training, facilitation and mentoring throughout his career.
Dr. Fiona Scorgie
Position: Visiting Senior Researcher
Qualifications: MPhil (Cambridge University); PhD (Cambridge University)
Email: fscorgie@gmail.com
As a social anthropologist, Dr Scorgie has 15 years’ experience in the use of qualitative research methods in reproductive health research and policy. She has a particular interest in ethnography and feminist methodologies. Her research interests lie in the fields of women’s health, HIV prevention, gender and sexuality, sex work, religion and ritual
Ms. Shakira Choonara
Position: PhD Fellow
Qualification: MA Demography and Population Studies; BA (Hons) Demography and Population Studies, Cum Laude; BHSc
Phone: +27 11 717 3438
Email: shakira.choonara@wits.ac.za
Twitter: @ChoonaraShakira
Blog: International Health Policies
Notable Achievements
European Union Future Leader for Health 2015, Emerging Voices for Health Systems Research 2014, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Youth Leadership 2014
Research Expertise & Interests
Shakira is involved in the multi-country Resilient and Responsive Health System (RESYST) project at CHP and has also assisted with systematic reviews. She is also a fellow under the National Research Foundation (NRF) SARChI Programme which aims to document and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and has also been selected to work on Forgiveness research in South Africa. As a qualified demographer, Shakira has extensive research experience in the field of malaria prevention and other health related issues. She has received numerous research awards and has served and continues to serve on several committees at a university level. Shakira has vast experience in public speaking, debating and engaging with prominent leaders. Most notably, she is an advocate for non-racism, persons with disabilities and is committed to improving the health system through her work in areas such as governance, financial management and UHC.
Rachana Desai
Position: NRF Intern
Qualification: MA by coursework and research report in the field of Psychology (awaiting graduation); BA (Hons), BSc
Phone: 011 717-2236
Email: rachana.desai@wits.ac.za
Rachana is currently working at CHP on the RESYST (Responsive and Resilient Health Systems) project.
Research Interests
Her research interests include waterpipe/hookah smoking among university students, monitoring and evaluation, behavioural change research, health systems research and social capital.
Dr. Adam Fusheini
Position: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, SARChI
Qualification: PhD; MSocSc. MPhil; BA.
Phone: +27 11 717 3448
Email: adam.fusheini@wits.ac.za
Adam holds a PhD in Social Policy and Administration from the University of Ulster, UK; MPhil in Public Administration from the University of Bergen; MSocSc in Development Studies and International Relations from Aalborg University and a BA (honours) degree in Political Science from the University of Ghana.
Prior to joining CHP, he worked as a PhD researcher in health insurance implementation in Ghana. At the University of Ulster he tutored undergraduate students in health and social care policy, contemporary issues in health and health care policy, and introduction to health and social care policy at Ulster. He also worked as an intern/development associate with Consia Consultants APS, a development consultancy firm in Copenhagen, Denmark, and also has teaching experience at the Secondary (Senior High), Junior Secondary (Junior High) and Post-Secondary (College of Education) levels in Ghana both on permanent and private basis.
His research interests have spanned public policy issues in education (community participation in basic education development), international organisations, development issues, and health financing reforms. Presently, his core area of interest revolves around governance of health systems in particular hospital governance in public and private hospitals in South Africa.
Faith Mambulu
Position: PhD Fellow
Qualification: MSc (Health Geography), B.Ed Hum (Home Economics)
Phone: +27 11 717 3436
Email: faith.mambulu@wits.ac.za
Faith Mambulu is working in the SARChI program.
Research Interests
Her research interests include health geography (public health policies, health systems and environmental determinants of health); feminist political ecology; farmer-led agroecology in the context of HIV/AIDS; and food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Zola Myakayaka
Name: Nokuzola Myakayaka
Position: Implementation Manager, Nkateko Project
Qualifications: Diplomas in General, Community, Psychiatry and Midwifery, UNITRA; Advanced Health Management Programme, Yale University
Phone: +27 76 644 3916
Email: zola.myakayaka@wits.ac.za
Nokuzola, known as Zola, is a professional nurse working as an implementation manager for the hypertension study at the Wits Research Unit in Bushbuckridge. She has 15 years' experience of working as a general and community health nurse.
Ms. Kafayat Oboirien
Position: PhD Fellow
Qualification: MPH (Health Economics)
Phone: +27 11 717 3438
Email: kafayat.oboirien@wits.ac.za
Kafayat Oboirien is an intern appointed to assist with the Universal Health Care Coverage in Tanzania and South Africa (UNITAS) project.
Research Interests
Equity in health and health care, access to and utilization of health care services, health policy analysis and implementation, health care financing, health systems
Ann Luusah
Position: Senior Secretary
Phone: +27 11 717 3420
Email: Ann Luusah@wits.ac.za
Ann has over 15 years of administrative experience and has been a senior secretary at CHP since 2011. She is studying towards a Diploma in Office Management through Damelin College and ICB.
Zwelakhe Khumalo
Position: Admin Intern
Qualification: Currently studying towards a certificate in Systems Development
Phone: +27 717 3423
Email: Zwelakhe.khumalo@wits.ac.za
Zwelakhe enjoys statistics and working with figures and computers.
Nigel Ndekwere
Position: Finance Officer
Qualifications: Chartered institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Phone: +27 11 717 3428
Email: nigel.ndekwere@wits.ac.za
Nigel is responsible for providing finance management and bookkeeping services to ensure the smooth running of CHP's activities. He maintains records of donor supported projects, and guides project leaders in compiling financial reports and budgets for research projects.
He enjoys reading economic and finance journals. He formerly worked in the NGO sector before joining CHP.
Ms. Greer van Zyl
Position: Communications Associate
Qualification: BJourn / MPH
Phone: +27 79 896 3447
Email: greervz@healthwrite.co.za
Greer has over 25 years of experience in media liaison and communication, specialising in health. Her skills include writing, editing, social and behavioural change communication, website content management and facilitation of online communities of practice.
Research Interests
Greer is interested in all facets of public health. Her research has focused on the portrayal of nursing in the mainstream media with attention to extent, prominence, slant and topics, and the voice of nursing in South Africa. She has also published in the field of health promotion and tobacco control. Greer hopes to do more on media advocacy and public health, qualitative and quantitative research, and monitoring and evaluation.
Professor Frances Griffiths
Position: Honorary Professor
Phone: +44 (0)24765 22534
Email: f.e.griffiths@warwick.ac.uk
Frances is Professor of Medicine in Society and Head of the Social Science and Systems in Health Research Unit within the Division of Health Sciences at Warwick Medical School. She is also the course leader of MSc Health Research at Warwick Medical School. She is an Honorary Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Hlologelo Malatji
Position: Pre-PhD intern
Qualification: MA: Social Development; Bachelor of Social Work
Phone: +27 11 717 2252
Email: hlologelo.malatji@wits.ac.za
Hlologelo, is a Pre-PhD Intern in the Centre for Health Policy (CHP) and participating in the Batlkomedi Project. Prior to joining the Centre, He worked as a qualitative fieldworker in the same project. He holds a Master’s Degree in the field of Social Development, from the Wits Department of Social Work. His Master’s thesis focused on the challenges confronting teenage mothers when they re-engaged with education post-pregnancy.
Currently, He is preparing for a PhD study which will explore how the Community Health Worker Programme is developed and implemented in the context of Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Achievements
Hlologelo is a Wits School of Governance PhD Grant-holder and former Centre of Excellence in Human Development Masters fellow.
Research interests
Health systems, health access, community participation in policy development and implementation and social determinants of health.
Ms Ling Ting
Position: Researcher
Qualification:MCom Economic Science
Phone: +27 11 717 3420
Email: Ling-Hsuan.Ting@wits.ac.za
Ling Ting holds a Masters in Economic Science from Wits University, where she also studied her undergraduate. Before joining the centre, she lectured first and second year economics at the University of Johannesburg and was a research analyst at Nielsen. She is currently doing her PhD in Economics at the University of Johannesburg, conducting lab experiments into understanding incentives and motivation.
Research interests
Ling’s main interests are in using experimental and behavioural economic tools and models in health. Specifically, using her PhD knowledge to investigate behavioural and incentive systems in HR matters in public health.
Thanduxolo Elford Fana
Thanduxolo Elford Fana is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at Wits School of Public Health (Centre for Health Policy). He holds a PhD in Public Administration (UFH), Masters in HIV/AIDS Management (Stellenbosch), B Tech in Human Resources Management (NMMU) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation (Stellenbosch). Prior to joining Wits Centre for Health Policy, Thando has worked for the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health as a Human Resources Practitioner, Virtual care and Transmed Pharmacies, Department of Home Affairs and International Centre for AIDS Program (ICAP).
Research interests
Thando is interested on health policy implementation, health systems governance, sexual and reproductive health, social determinants of health, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, human resources for health, public sector performance management and program monitoring and evaluation.
Witness Mapanga
Witness Mapanga joined the Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health in February 2018 as a Researcher to establish and coordinate the Evidence Synthesis unit under the South African Initiative for rapid evidence syntheses and systematic reviews on health policies and systems (SAI). Under this role, Witness coordinates the Evidence Synthesis projects where he engages with policymakers, decision-makers and health practitioners on their need and use of evidence in their day-to-day activities. He has over 6 years of experience in active research and programmes around health systems strengthening, health policy formulation, cancer epidemiology, HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health. Witness has a PhD in Cancer Epidemiology, is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH) and a member of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, International Society for Infectious Diseases, and International Epidemiological Association. He peer reviews for several journals including BMJ Open, PLOS ONE, BMC, World Journal of Surgical Oncology, and Global Health, Epidemiology and Genomics. Witness’ passion involves pushing the agenda for open science practices in public health and medicine through evidence systematic maps, systematic reviews and meta-analysis.