Prof Tobias Chirwa

Programme Director

Prof Tobias Chirwa is the Programme Director for the consortium of advanced biostatistics training in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSACABT). He is the Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the School of Public Health of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and manages the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences statistical support services. Prior to this, he was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Malawi (UNIMA) and a Research Fellow in Medical Statistics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). He has also held positions of responsibility like the Dean, Faculty of Science; Head, Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNIMA and was also the President of Statistical Association of Malawi. He has led postgraduate capacity building initiatives including the Norwegian-funded NUFU PhD programme, MSc Biostatistics and Informatics at UNIMA. Further, he has continued to be active in curriculum development while at Wits – developing short courses in biostatistics; MSc programmes in Biostatistics and Research Data Management. He is also co-Director of a University of North Carolina (UNC) and Wits Fogarty (MSc and PhD) training grant on AIDS Implementation Science and Advanced Cohort Analyses, together with the WHO/TDR Implementation Research.

Dr Eustasius Musenge

Senior Lecturer

Dr Eustasius Musenge is a Senior Biostatistician/Senior Lecturer in the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Coordinates the Biostatistical modules of the Masters degree programs. He is a Faculty member of the consortium of advanced biostatistics training in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSACABT) and sits in the Executive Committee meetings. He is a National Research Foundation rated scientist with 40 publications in scientific peer review journals. He is the South African co-Principal investigator of the NIH GeneXpert Tuberculosis study and was involved in several successful grants in the School of Public Health. Areas of research interests have been spatiotemporal modeling of geo-statistical data for HIV/TB mortality data, modeling of large sparse cohort data, infectious disease modeling, analysis of genetic data, propensity score matching and structural equation modeling.

Pascalia Munyewende

Programme Manager

Background

I have a rich and colourful academic background – I started off with a BSc. Hons. in Media and Society Studies from the Midlands State University in Gweru, Zimbabwe. My quest for change found me at the Wits African Centre for Migration Studies where I obtained my MA in Forced Migration Studies. Needing additional change, I found myself at the Wits School of Public Health where I obtained my doctorate degree. Along the way I have managed projects as a student, a lecturer and as a researcher which have been highlighted in my achievements. Project management is an essential component in both our personal and professional lives.

Academic project management is even more exciting for me as it gives me the opportunity to work with and for people in order to achieve the objectives of the programme. In this way, I would like to support and contribute to the development and growth of a biostatistical network through the Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistical Training (SSACABT) and the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS) programme.

Jonathan Levin

IBS Uganda Biography

Promise Majozi

Project administrator

Promise Majozi is a project administrator for the DELTAS Africa SSACAB II programme. She is also a communications specialist, with the purpose of developing, executing and maintaining a communications strategy that helps to formulate collaborations internally and externally, through media outreach and social media creation.

Vuyisani Keeper Ngobeni

DELTAS Africa SSACAB Divisional Grant Manager

Vuyisani Keeper Ngobeni is the DELTAS Africa SSACAB Divisional Grant Manager. He has B.Com degree in Accounting, Management Accounting and Finance from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He has over twelve years of experience working at different healthcare organizations which include Netcare, Life Healthcare and Medi-Clinic. The positions held include finance manager, accountant, bookkeeper, senior accounts clerk and senior admin clerk. He wants to pursue career with CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) in order to get more insights about planning, monitoring, control analysis, evaluation and risk management and apply the skills in his work.

Mlungisi Mphetshwa

Community & Public Engagement Manager

Mlungisi Mphetshwa is the Community & Public Engagement Manager for the DELTAS Africa SSACAB II programme based in the Wits School of Public Health, Johannesburg. He hold a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from Walter Sisulu University and a Post-graduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management from Stellenbosch University. Mlungisi is highly experienced in community engagement in both the public and private sectors. In his previous role, Mlungisi was the District Demand Creation Coordinator for the Centre for Communication Impact of South Africa (CCISA) & Social Behaviour Change Communication Coordinator for Foundation for Professional Development (FPD). He has worked as a Healthy Lifestyle Program Coordinator and Centre Manager for Kwanobuhle Love-life Centre Based in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. In his current role, Mlungisi intends to strengthen and sustain effective Community & Public engagement services within the Consortium and wider scientific Community.