Dr Anban Pillay
Dr Anban Pillay is the Deputy Director General at the National Department of Health in South Africa. His currently responsibilities relate to Health Regulation and Compliance. He has served in various roles at the National Department of Health over the past 20 years. These include development of pharmaceutical policies on medicine registration, treatment guidelines, medicine formularies, procurement and service delivery strategies. He has also been instrumental in the developmental of the Universal Health Coverage (National Health Insurance) policy and its legislative development in South Africa.
He currently serves on the Pandemic Fund Board and has previously served on a number of Global Bodies including the World Health Organization (Co-Chair Essential Medicines Committee, Advisory Committee on Medicine Pricing), Medicines Patent Pool (Board member), Global Fund (Market Dynamics Advisory group), UNICEF (Procurement advisory group) and Health Action International (Advisory Committee). Most recently he co-chaired the ACT Accelerator which was a WHO mechanism to foster collaboration and accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.
Dr Anban Pillay holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa), Masters in Clinical Pharmacology (Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, South Africa) and Ph.D (University of Newcastle, Australia). He is extensively published in peer reviewed journals and book chapters.
Dr Ntsako S Mathonsi
Dr Ntsako S Mathonsi is currently the Director for Human Settlements Policy Development and Review and was previously its Deputy Director for Municipal Accreditation, in the Secretariat Unit as an Assistant Director in the DG's Executive Support Unit and as a Policy Officer in the Department of Housing. Dr. Mathonsi in a member of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) wherein he conducts research and write academic papers for presentation in SAAPAM conferences and publication in the Journal of Public Administration. He is also a member of the Social Science International Research (SSIR) wherein he conducts research and write academic papers for presentation (locally and internationally) in SSIR Conferences and publication in the Social Science Research Journal. He has a Degree in Social Sciences from the University of the North (now University of Limpopo) an Honours Degree in Sociology, majoring in Social Policy, among other key courses. He did a second honours degree with the North West University where he was studying Public Management. He furthered his studies with a Masters Degree in Sociology at the University of Limpopo under the theme of Governance and Service Delivery in Local Government. He also completed his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Sociology of Governance at the University of Limpopo where he adopted one of the human settlements programmes as his case study to analyse the concept of decentralisation.
Dr Amanda Rozani
Dr Amanda Rozani is the Deputy Director at the Department of Basic Education. She has over ten years of work experience working in different portfolios. She is currently responsible for co-ordinating the Integrated School Health Programme nationally. She has a Ph.D. (Psychology) from the University of Johannesburg. She is also a professional nurse and obtained her B.Cur degree from the Nelson Mandela University. She has diverse work experience in the private and public sectors and has experience as a Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council, where she was worked on the project evaluating the impact of peer-led HIV interventions and support groups for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Mr Thulani Masilela
Thulani Masilela is an Outcome Facilitator in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) in the government of South Africa. He is tasked with monitoring, evaluating and supporting the attainment of health sector strategic priorities adopted by government. He has previously worked in Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the health sector and at the National Department of Health. He is a registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a Clinical Psychologist and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management from the University of Cape Town.
Prof nicholas Crisp
PROF CRISP is a medical doctor and public health specialist and Honorary Professor in Public Health Medicine at the University of Pretoria. He was Superintendent General (HOD) of the Department of Health and Welfare in Limpopo where he served from 1995 to 1999. Prof Crisp was then a self-employed consultant and has worked on projects in several African countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania. In 2009 he served as Special Adviser to Minister Barbara Hogan. He was intimately involved in the establishment of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), the transfer of the medicolegal mortuaries from police to health and the creation of the Forensic Pathology Services, and in the establishment of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
He is now employed as Deputy Director General: National Health Insurance, and like everyone else was diverted to support the Covid-19 response for a while.
Ms Jeanette HunterMs Jeanette Hunter has worked in Senior Management positions in and outside of the public sector for the past 26 years. She is currently the Deputy Director General: Primary Health Care at the National Department of Health of South Africa (NDoH). She was previously the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Systems Trust (HST). For the past four years Jeanette has been the accounting officer for the North West Department of Health. She returned to her role at the NDoH on 12 July 2022. She has extensive knowledge and experience in strategic planning, policy development, planning and design for policy implementation, implementing monitoring and evaluation systems, and the implementation of information systems. Jeanette has a solid track record of achievement through a thorough understanding and successful application of strategic and operational planning processes, change management, project management, continuous quality improvement and human dimensions' management strategies. She has had exposure to the international arena in the form of short courses and international meetings. Amongst others are one at Singapore's Civil Service College in 2000 and one at Harvard University's Public Health School in 2014. World Health Assembly meetings in Geneva, World Health Organization meetings on the African Continent, two BRICS meetings in Russia and Health Systems conferences in China and Kazakhstan. In December 2019, she was part of a team conducting a study of how the Turkish Health System has moved to Universal Health Access.
Dr Malixole Percy MahlathiDr Malixole Percy Mahlathi is an experienced administrator whose skills base includes strategy and policy development, organisational and leadership development, culture transformation, and health workforce strategy development/management. He possesses strategic and leadership capability that he puts to effective use in every situation that requires initiative and innovation. He played a major role in the development of various national HRH policies including in the development of the WHO Code of Practice for Recruitment of International Health Personnel. Percy is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative SA, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He is the secretary of the Strategic Dialogue Group, a progressive think tank.
Dr Mahlathi graduated from UKZN Medical School in 1987, holds an M.Phil in Values and Policy from Stellenbosch University, a Ph.D in Social Science from Fort Hare University and an Advanced Management Diploma from Manchester University.
He is currently the Deputy Director General: Hospital and Health Services for the South African National Department of Health. He has also been the CEO of the SA Medical Association and was in private practice before that.
Dr Cheryl Nelson
Dr Cheryl Nelson is the Chief Director: Primary Health Care (PHC) in Mpumalanga Province and the Provincial Chairperson of the Mpumalanga Research and Ethics Committee (MPHREC). She has been exposed to the Public Health service for a period of 36 years of which more than 12 years have been in Middle and Senior Management.. She has extensive knowledge and proven experience in the provision and management of Public health services. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy, M.PH, B.cur Admin & Education, CHN, RM, and is a Reigistered Nurse.
Dr Grace London
Dr Grace London has a Ph.D in Molecular Medicine from the University of Cape Town. While doing her Ph.D she garnered several scholarships to the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego and the University of Washington as a visiting scientist. She worked as principal scientist at the CSIR focusing of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in breast milk and developed a point of care diagnosis for TB. To date, Dr London has presented 10 peer reviewed conference papers in 6 international conferences and 4 local conferences. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in health management from the University of Pretoria focused on the implementation of the ideal clinic programme with limited resources. She is a member of the provincial research committee in the Free State department of health in collaboration with the University of the Free State. She has been Chief Director: District Health Service responsible for primary health care facilities and district hospitals in the Free State province since 2015.
Mr J Mndebele
Mr J Mndebele is a chief director working for Kwazulu-Natal in charge of District Health Services. He has been in DHS since 1998. He participated in setting up of districts. He has worked as a district director for more than 10 years, uMzinyathi district in KZN and has participated in NHI piloting. Currently he is responsible for Primary Health Care, School Health Services, CCMDD, Health Promotion. During the Covid-19 outbreak he was a core driver of management of Covid-19. His other responsibilities include the provincial performance monitoring meetings. Mr J Mndebele is also supervising 12 district directors, providing leadership and guidance. Mr J Mndebele also works closely with universities in KZN especially UKZN. He is a professional nurse (Kangwane College of Nursing) with BA.Cur (UNISA), Masters of Public Health majoring in Policy Development( Wits), He has done a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management (Oliver Tambo -UCT), Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation (Stellenbosch University) Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Management (Southern Business School), and a Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS management(MEDUNSA).
Mr Kgwiti Mahlako
Mr Kgwiti Mahlako is the Acting Chief Director: District Health Services in the National Department of Health. His current responsibilities relate to delivery of comprehensive package of Primary Health Care Services through the District Health System Model. He has served in various roles at both the province of Free State and National Department of Health over the past 33 years. Mr Mahlako is one of the initiators of the Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme which focuses on determining health systems compliance to regulated norms and standards and addressing the gaps identified. He is currently serving on the following bodies: South African Health Professional Council: Speech, Language and Hearing Board and National Essential Medicines Committee.
Mr Kgwiti Mahlako holds a Diploma in Nursing Science (General, Community, Psychiatry) and Midwifery - Free State School of Nursing); Bachelor of Nursing Science (University of South Africa), Masters in Health Studies: Health Services Management (University of South Africa).
Mr Ramphelane Morewane
Mr Ramphelane Morewane, the Acting Deputy Director General: HIV/AIDS, TB and MCWH. Mr Morewane holds the following: a Masters Degree in Development and Policy and Practice, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management, B.Tech Business Management, and several postgraduate diplomas. He leads the national efforts towards the attainment of the UN Targets of 95-95-95 in HIV and AIDS. He has led the conceptualisation and implementation of the 100-health facilities project; He is also the leader in the implementation of the TB Recovery plan to trace and link the patients back to care. The leader in the implementation of the Maternal Clinical Guidance, Neonatal Health Guidelines, New guidelines for HIV Testing and Screening etc. Mr Morewane has presided over several national and regional forums such as: Incident Management Team for Covid-19 pandemic; SADC Malaria E8 Technical Committee, the departmental lead in the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.
He was the co-author of several policies and strategic documents: Ideal clinic Realisation and Maintenance Programme; The role of Traditional Leadership in the Implementation of Health Programmes; District Health Services Policy Framework and Strategy; Ward Based PHC Outreach Teams Policy Framework and Strategy, Reengineering of Primary Health Care programme; National Health Adaptation Plan for Climate Change; National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases; the Tobacco Products Amendment Bill; the Draft Framework for Social Determinants of Health among others. He was the leader of the work stream that wrote the section on the health system strengthening in the development of the National Health Insurance Bill. He has led the nationalisation of the Port Health Services, from the provinces.
Ramphelane Morewane has been the champion of District Health System for the past 15 years and has developed national district health planning tools.
PROF Leslie London
Prof Leslie London is Chair of Public Health Medicine in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He served as Head of School from 2007 to 2012. He heads the Division of Public Health Medicine and is an active in the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health Research, in which he leads research in the areas of pesticide hazards and chemical neurotoxicity, farm worker occupational health, and occupational and environmental epidemiology. He also heads the School's Health and Human Rights Programme which has a broad research and training mandate addressing health as a socio-economic right, and examining human rights and ethical issues in relation to the practice of occupational health professionals, including dual loyalty at the workplace. He has served on many committees dealing with ethics and human rights in research and professional contexts, has provided advice to the AIDS Law Project in test cases related to workplace discrimination involving HIV and is active in the People's Health Movement South Africa. He was a member of the National Health Research Ethics Council for the Department of Health from 2006 to 2010. He serves on the Scientific Committees on Rural Health and on Neurotoxicology for the International Commission on Occupational Health, and coordinated the Africa Group for ICOH's revision of its Ethical Code. As part of an international Working Group on Dual Loyalty, he and his collaborators developed an international guideline for the protection of patient rights in the context of high-risk closed institutions. He has published over 150 articles in peer-reviewed international and national journals and 15 books or book chapters, and is an NRF-rated scientist in the B3 category. He has been PI on several large grants over the past 10 years, including funding from SIDA, NIH, EU and IDRC, raising in total more than ZAR 35 million in research funding whilst at UCT.
Dr Wei Zhou Division Director National Health Commission of the PRC. Dr Wei Zhou has a Ph.D in Public Health Management and is also a qualified doctor. She has been a civil servant in the health sector for 20 years and taken responsibility for developing and implementing optimal policies to set up the community health system. In order to protect the health of the population, Dr Zhou and her partners are monitoring and evaluating the implementation of policies made by the state and local government. She is currently the Division Director: National Health Commission of the PRC.
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