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: Professor of Health Policy and Systems Qualification: PhD, MSc, MA Phone: +27 11 717 3425 Email: jane.goudge@gmail.com

Jane Goudge is research professor at the Centre for Health Policy in the Wits School of Public Health. She 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. Other 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, and an implementation study assessing the benefits of skilled supervision on household coverage by the national community health worker programe (WBOT) prorgramme. She works closely in the SARChI programme at the Centre. Recent themes under this programme include rapid evidence reviews on LMIC experience of strategic purchasing, strategies to strengthen community-based mental health care, as well as primary research on the impact of austerity on public financial management and functioning of public hospitals.

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: Dr Nonhlanhla Nxumalo. Senior Researcher of Health Policy and Systems Research. Qualifications: PhD, MPH, BA.

Nonhlanhla Nxumalo is the Director at the Centre for Health Policy and a Senior Researcher. She has a Master of Public Health degree and a PhD in Health Policy & Systems. She has 14 years’ experience as a health policy and systems researcher focusing on patient access to care and CHW programmes using anthropological and other qualitative methods. Her research interests are also in human resources for health, health systems governance and translation of research evidence into policy. Her growing body of work in the area of Primary Health Care and Human Resources for Health continues to link to the community health worker theme. Nonhlanhla’s PhD focused on the role of community Health Workers in comprehensive primary Health care and in their contribution activities that relate to the Social Determinants of Health. Her interest in this cadre is focused on the governance structures that enable their incorporation into the health system. Nonhlanhla was involved in research that sought to understand governance and accountability mechanisms in a District Health System. She was also involved in the development of an intervention on management skills amongst district health managers and facility managers within a learning site approach. Her recent themes under research on community health workers focusses on the leadership and governance of the community health worker programme in South Africa, including the strengths and weaknesses of its implementation and the implications of these factors for Universal Health Coverage.

Ms. Prudence Ditlopo

Position: 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.

Campion Zharima

Position: PhD Fellow Qualification: MA: Research Psychology; Bachelor of Social Work Email: campionzharima@gmail.com

Campion is a SARChI (Health Systems and Policy) PhD research fellow specializing in the implementation of electronic health systems in primary health care. He currently holds a Master’s degree in research Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand. Before joining the Centre for Health Policy, he was a bio-behavioral research intern at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

Samantha Mhlanga

Position: Pre-PhD intern Qualification: MA: Demography and population studies, Bachelor of Social Work Email: mhlanga54m@gmail.com

Samantha is a SARChi (health systems and policy) Pre-PhD intern. She currently holds a master’s degree in Demography and population studies from the University of Witwatersrand. Her master’s report focused on the socio-demographic and household factors associated with the type of employment among South Africa women. Before joining the centre for health policy, she worked as a research assistant and qualitative fieldworker. Currently, she is preparing for a PhD study which will evaluate the residential care services for people with mental illness.

Dr Joshua Sumankuuro

Position: Postdoc fellow

Sumankuuro Joshua has a firm disciplinary grounding in both social science and interdisciplinary research using qualitative, and quantitative methods. His growing interest in global public health and the health care needs of populations groups in low- and middle-income countries such as pregnant women and newborns motivated me to pursue a PhD programme in Public Health. Joshua’s PhD project focussed on understanding access to primary health care (PHC) services and health service delivery for pregnant women in rural Ghana. He has independently researched in Ghana and has published some peer-reviewed papers. Evidence from some of his research has been widely acknowledged in the literature.

Joshua has successfully led teams to complete the full cycle of development projects in Ghana. Helping to improve the livelihoods of women and children in rural communities through research has been Sumankuuro’s passion over the years. From February – June 2019, he was a co-investigator in a baseline survey funded by DFID-UK, in two regions (Upper West and Upper East) of Ghana. Further, he independently evaluated all institutional maternal and neonatal mortalities in the Upper West Region (Ghana). Joshua’s current research at CHP highlights the complexities, system reforms, political economy and the management of those tensions in strategic purchasing in healthcare in low-middle-income settings, with emphasis on country-level policy reforms towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Miss Tintswalo Mabasa

Position: Pre-PhD Intern

Miss Tintswalo Mabasa is a Pre-PhD Intern at the Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand.

Qualifications: Tintswalo holds a Master of Arts in Social Work by Dissertation (research). She also holds a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the same University, Witwatersrand.

Research interests: Tintswalo has a keen interest in the discharge process for people living with serious mental illness from hospital to community-based care and how to improve continuity of care and user experience. During her Master’s degree, her research focus was on the beliefs and perceptions of adolescents about sexual relationships: a case of two public secondary schools in Soweto, Gauteng.

Vigie Govender

Position: Grants, Operations & Development Manager Email: vigie.govender@wits.ac.za

Vigie Govender joined the Centre for Health Policy as the Grants, Operations & Development Manager on 1 August 2020. She holds a B Comm Honours in Accounting and has 10 years’ service with the University of the Witwatersrand. She has managed the finances of various research centres within the university.

Chandré Fisher

Position: Admin and Finance Intern Phone: +27 11 717 2226 Email: chandre.fisher@wits.ac.za

Chandré joined CHP as the Administrative and finance intern on the 07 February 2022. With over 10 years’ experience in a finance and administrative role she has a goal to complete her Bcom degree.

Nadine Nanji

Position: Miss Nadine Nanji is a Pre-PhD Intern at the Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand. Qualifications: Masters in Public Health (Health Systems & Policy)

Nadine’s Masters in Public Health thesis was on Faith-based mental health provision in Africa: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. Prior to joining CHP as a Pre-PhD intern, Nadine has worked as a research assistant at University of Cape Town and was a Secretary Board Member for the International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening (IWG). Research interests: Health financing, health systems resilience in conflict and crises settings, as well as the overall, strengthening of mental health services and systems. Currently, she is preparing for a PhD study which will create a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) intervention in South Africa.

Email: Nadine.nanji@wits.ac.za

Saira Abdulla

Position: PhD Fellow Qualification: MA in Demography and Population Studies

Saira Abdulla is a SARChI PhD research fellow, and holds a Masters degree in Demography and Population studies. Prior to joining the PhD program, Saira was a M&E manager at I-TECH SA . She has worked on various projects including HIV prevention interventions, Mental health integration (MhINT) and Key Population programmes. Her PhD focus is on strengthening community-based collaborative strategies for people living with serious mental illness in SA.

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.

Thanduxolo Elford Fana

Thanduxolo Elford Fana was a Post Doctoral Fellow at Wits School of Public Health (Centre for Health Policy) from February 2018 up until April 2020 under the supervision of Prof Jane Goudge. He has a PhD in Public Administration (UFH), a Masters in HIV/AIDS Management (Stellenbosch), a B Tech in Human Resources Management (NMMU) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation (Stellenbosch). Prior to joining Wits School of Public Health (CHP) as a Post-Doctoral Fellow and progressing to his appointment as a Honorary staff, he worked for the Eastern Cape Department of Health (Jose Pearson Hospital) as a Human Resources Practitioner

Witness Mapanga

Witness Mapanga joined the Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health in February 2018 as a Researcher to establish and coordinate Rapid Evidence Reviews and Syntheses under the South African Initiative for rapid evidence syntheses and systematic reviews on health policies and systems (SAI). Witness holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the University of Zimbabwe, a Master of Public Health from Essex University (United Kingdom) and is currently studying towards a PhD in Epidemiology (focusing on cervical cancer, HPV and HIV) with the University of Pretoria. Prior to joining Wits, Witness worked at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in the Paediatric HIV Program. He peer reviews for BMJ Open; Annals of Community Medicine and Practice; World Journal of Surgical Oncology; Global Health, Epidemiology and Genomics and OMICS Publishing Group/ACR. His research interests lie in cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health.