London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Educational/professional background

I am a Public Health Medicine Specialist based in Gauteng, South Africa. I completed my MBChB at the University of Pretoria in 2015, followed by postgraduate qualifications in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTMH, University of the Witwatersrand) and Child Healthcare (DCH, College of Medicine of South Africa) in 2019.

I subsequently completed specialist training in Public Health Medicine, alongside a Master of Medicine in Community Health/Public Health Medicine through the University of the Witwatersrand. I also completed my Master of Public Health through LSHTM’s Public Health by Distance Learning programme, which broadened my understanding of public health through an international lens and strengthened my knowledge of health systems, policy, epidemiology and evidence-based practice.

I currently work as a Public Health Medicine Specialist at a central hospital in Gauteng, where I am the Head of the Monitoring and Evaluation/Information Management Unit (M&E/IMU). I am also involved in undergraduate academic coordination and provide teaching and support to postgraduate students.

My professional interests include health systems strengthening, health services management, health policy, monitoring and evaluation, health protection, maternal and child health, and humanitarian health.

Research interests or career goals

My interests lie in the following areas:

• Health services management
• Health policy
• Health protection
• Maternal and child health
• Humanitarian health

Currently I am completing two research projects, one in the field of healthcare management and the other in preventative medicine and vaccinology.

What I enjoyed most about studying my programme/at LSHTM

What I enjoyed most about studying at LSHTM was the opportunity to engage with public health from a truly global perspective. Learning alongside students from different countries and professional backgrounds exposed me to diverse health systems, challenges and approaches, and encouraged me to think beyond my own context.

I particularly valued being able to bring these international perspectives back to the South African setting. The programme strengthened my ability to critically appraise evidence, understand complex health systems and policy issues, and approach public health challenges from a population-level perspective.

The flexibility of the distance learning programme was also particularly important to me. I was able to study while working full-time, and could immediately apply concepts and skills from the programme to my professional work.

What I have been doing since graduating

Since graduating from LSHTM, I have continued to develop my career as a Public Health Medicine Specialist at a central hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.

I currently head the Monitoring and Evaluation/Information Management Unit, where I work with health information, data and performance monitoring to support evidence-informed decision-making and contribute to strengthening health service delivery.

Alongside my specialist responsibilities, I have become increasingly involved in academia and professional development. I coordinate undergraduate academic activities and provide teaching and support to postgraduate students, allowing me to contribute to the development of the next generation of public health professionals.

I have also continued to contribute to the public health community through my voluntary involvement with the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA). This has provided opportunities to remain connected with colleagues across the public health sector and contribute to initiatives focused on strengthening the public health profession in South Africa.

My LSHTM education continues to influence my work, particularly in how I approach data, evidence, health systems and complex public health challenges. The programme gave me a strong foundation that I continue to draw on in both my professional and academic roles.

Any extra information

Completing my MSc Public Health by distance learning at LSHTM has been an important part of my professional journey. While the qualification itself was valuable, I think the greatest benefit has been the perspective it gave me, the ability to look at public health challenges within my own context while also understanding the broader global factors that shape health systems and health outcomes.

Studying through distance learning while working full-time was challenging, but it was also incredibly rewarding. It taught me discipline, time management and how to balance academic learning with professional responsibilities. More importantly, it demonstrated that it is possible to pursue an internationally recognised postgraduate education while continuing to contribute meaningfully to your own health system.

As an LSHTM alumni ambassador, I hope to encourage other public health professionals, particularly those working in low- and middle-income settings, to consider how an LSHTM education can complement their existing experience, broaden their perspective and ultimately help them make a greater impact within their own health systems.