UWC School of Public Health

📢 Call for Applications: POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS 2026: FOOD ENVIRONMENTS (TWO POSITIONS)
The Food Environment Research group (a collective from Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, School of Public Health and the DSI/NRF Center of Excellence in Food Security) at the University of the Western Cape under the leadership of Prof Rina Swart is seeking Post-doctoral Research Fellows to work on projects related to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), Indigenous and Neglected Crops (INC) and/or Nutrition Surveillance.
Completed applications need to be submitted by no later than 5pm on 19 June 2026.

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Health system strategies and responses to the effects of Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
by Chancy Skenard Chimatiro ,Solange Mianda,Precious Hajison,Martina Lembani
Climate change is now regarded as a global health challenge of the 21st century, posing a negative health risk to the population. Sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionately affected more than any other region worldwide. Mapping strategies and responses in Sub-Saharan Africa to address the impact of climate change on health systems is a starting point for understanding evidence-based decision-making and informing best practices.

Health system strategies and responses to the effects of Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review Background Climate change is now regarded as a global health challenge of the 21st century, posing a negative health risk to the population. Sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionately affected more than any other region worldwide. Mapping strategies and responses in Sub-Saharan Africa to address the i...

Perceptions of facilitators, barriers and adaptations for provision of obstetric fistula surgery and care: a qualitative descriptive study of service providers in selected hospitals in Busoga sub-region, eastern Uganda
by Peter Kivunike Mukasa, Mary Kinney, Wilberforce Mugwanya, Andrew Kivunike, Abdmagidu Menya, Vallence Ngabo Maniragaba, Debra Jackson
Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury common in low-resource settings, with many women failing to access surgical repair due to health system challenges. However, limited evidence exists on the health system factors shaping the provision of fistula care and surgery. The study aimed to explore facilitators, barriers encountered, and adaptation mechanisms employed by healthcare providers in the provision of fistula surgery and care.

Frontiers | Perceptions of facilitators, barriers and adaptations for provision of obstetric fistula surgery and care: a qualitative descriptive study of service providers in selected hospitals in Busoga sub-region, eastern Uganda IntroductionObstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury common in low-resource settings, with many women failing to access surgical repair due to he...

Meet the vice chair of the Africa Centre’s advisory board for the 2026/27 term, Prof Brian van Wyk.

A seasoned academic and leading public health researcher, Prof van Wyk brings a wealth of relevant research experience and expertise to the centre. Having also served on the previous board and being part of the strategic repositioning of the centre in 2025, he is well-placed to provide insights and advice that support the centre’s inclusive health management agenda.

Prof van Wyk is currently a professor in public health at the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape. He’ll be working closely with Prof Elizabeth Lwanga Nanziri, an experienced development finance practitioner, who was selected as chair of the board. Read more about what Prof Van Wyk brings to the board here: https://www.healthmanagement.sun.ac.za/prof-brian-van-wyk/



Stellenbosch University

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Mapping common job demands and job resources for large-scale community health worker programmes in Southern Africa: protocol for a scoping review
by Rachel S Coley , Linda Shuro, Renier Coetzee, Hanani Tabana
High burdens of infectious and non-communicable diseases and human resource shortages strain primary healthcare systems in Southern Africa. Despite the widespread use of community health workers (CHWs) across the region, the existing literature offers no holistic exploration of the characteristics of CHWs’ work. This protocol describes a novel approach to reviewing occupational characteristics for community health workers, grounded in the Job Demands-Resources model.

Mapping common job demands and job resources for large-scale community health worker programmes in Southern Africa: protocol for a scoping review Introduction High burdens of infectious and non-communicable diseases and human resource shortages strain primary healthcare systems in Southern Africa. Despite the widespread use of community health workers (CHWs) across the region, the existing literature offers no holistic exploration of the char...

Navigating the promise and pitfalls of dashboards in health policy decision making: experiences from Ghana, India, and South Africa
by Luxsena Sukumaran and colleagues, including UWC School of Public Health's Mary Kinney, Tanya Doherty, and Asha George
Dashboards and other interactive web-based data visualisation tools are increasingly being developed to inform health policy at global, national, and subnational levels. Dashboards aim to make policy-relevant data accessible to support decision making, priority setting, policy development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation for those responsible for these functions. However, evidence on how well dashboards fulfil these functions is scarce. In this Viewpoint, we explore the development of dashboards on topics related to children’s health and experiences of actors using dashboards in Ghana, India, and South Africa.
Read the full paper

www.sciencedirect.com

🎤 Please join an exciting line-up of panellists for our next conversation in the SA Learning Alliance for the District Health System:
“From Disabling to Trustworthy Leadership: Towards Psychological Safety in the DHS"

3 June 2026 | 16:00 – 17:30 SAST

Register at: https://shorturl.at/9TyrY.

📢 Call for Proposals: Queering Health Systems, Closing date 3 July
The editorial team includes UWC School of Public Health's Asha George and Phoene Oware.

📢 Call for Proposals and Webinar Invitation: Queering Health Systems

Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM), in partnership with the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape, is inviting proposals for a themed issue on Queering Health Systems.

👉 We welcome conceptual and empirical contributions exploring:

• Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging: disrupting normativity and reimagining foundations
• How queering health systems addresses structural barriers and health inequities
• Queer-affirming models of care and service delivery
• Health workforce transformation and provider competencies
• Community leadership, agency and accountability
• Data justice, measurement and visibility

🗓 Proposal deadline: 3 July 2026
💡 Mentorship available for less-experienced authors
💸 Full APC waiver for selected manuscripts

🔗 Read the full call for proposals here: https://srhm.infinity.janeway.systems/site/queering-health-systems/

Join our upcoming webinar to learn more about the themed issue and how to submit a strong proposal:

📅 Wed, 20 May
🕒 9am ET | 3pm CET | 6.30pm IST
💻 Online

Hear directly from SRHM’s editorial team and Guest Editors, including:

• Sapna Desai, SRHM Editor-in-Chief
• Asha George, SARChI Chair and Professor at UWC School of Public Health
• Humphrey Ndondo, Guest Editor
• Phoene Oware, Guest Editor
• Pete Chapman, SRHM Managing Editor

The session will cover:
- What makes a strong submission
- The urgency and context of queering health systems
- Live Q&A with the editorial team

Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, activist, or emerging scholar, this is an opportunity to contribute to a timely and transformative conversation.

🔗 Register for the webinar: https://events.humanitix.com/queering-health-systems