As a general paediatrician, my overarching academic focus is capacity building to strengthen child health in the African public health sector. As a junior doctor in South Africa, I was struck not only by the burden of disease in children, ranging from malnutrition to infectious diseases, but also by the high morbidity and mortality associated with it. At that point, I was trained to treat the patient in front of me, trying my best to help as many children as possible. This felt like trying to rescue children from a rushing river without asking why they were in the river in the first place. I remember reading a World Health Organisation (WHO) document at the time explaining that four aspects need attention if child health is to be realised. Beyond disease science and management, the health system, training of healthcare professionals, and socio-economic factors all need attention. These aspects became the blueprint for my clinical and academic journey, holding together my various research and academic interests. 

While pursuing my MSc in Child Health at Warwick University, UK, I joined a capacity-building programme at Stellenbosch University for interprofessional healthcare workers from Africa, focusing on the prevention and treatment of paediatric HIV. As Clinical Programme Director at South to South, I stepped back from direct patient care to facilitate training for healthcare professionals and to support health-system strengthening. This became my initial research focus, resulting in publications, a book chapter, and oral presentations across Africa on paediatric HIV.

Six years later, I joined the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Tygerberg Hospital as a senior lecturer and clinician-educator. There, my research interests broadened to include common childhood illnesses, referral pathways within the health system, and medical education. My PhD research centred on learning in clinical settings, exploring the factors that influence undergraduate medical students’ learning choices.

As a general paediatrician, my research and daily work reflect the various aspects required to build capacity in people and systems, ensuring good health outcomes for children in South Africa. My overarching goal is to connect these aspects through research, leadership and practice, working towards a world where children not only survive but also thrive.