Health services and systems, rooted in human rights and social justice.

The purpose of the School is to support and train policy  makers and implementers who are knowledgeable and skilled in the principles and practice of public health

Launch Webinar: Responsive Dialogues For Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance And Enhancing Community Engagement

Please join the launch of the modular Responsive Dialogues Guidelines developed by The School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape in collaboration with ICARS and funded by Wellcome.

Pharmaceutical Public Health

In 2024 we will offer Pharmaceutical Policy and Management and Rational Medicines Use as online semester modules from July-November 2024. These modules may be taken as individual stand-alone modules or as part of the Master of Public Health. The Pharmaceutical Policy and Management Module will introduce participants to pharmaceutical policy and management issues within health systems. It will provide a foundation for pharmaceutical policy analysis, policy development and implementation skills at country and local levels. Selected areas include quality of medical products, pharmaceutical procurement and supply, human resources, and antimicrobials.

2025 CHS Post Graduate Open Day

11 May 2024

SPaRCS Strengthening Clinical Trials Oversight Workshop

The SPARCS Project hosted a workshop to support increased collaboration and networking between national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and national ethical committees (NECs) on the regulation of clinical trials in Southern Africa and identify priority areas for a framework for effective clinical trial oversight in the region.

Nobel Symposia Series outreach seminar, “Long-term impacts of cash transfer programmes”

Invitation to Public Event | 11 March 2024

Systems strengthening for pharmacovigilance and regulatory oversight in Southern Africa: Reflections on learnings and future possibilities from a participatory action learning project

Invitation to Public Event

Jakes Gerwel Award in Public Health 2023: Dr Landry Tsague Dongmo

Presentation title: “When two pandemics collide, HIV and COVID-19
– A reflection on the future of public health in Africa”

2023 Annual David Sanders Lecture in Public Health and Social Justice

The University of the Western Cape School of Public Health (UWC-SOPH) and People’s Health Movement for the Annual David Sanders Lecture in Public Health and Social Justice and the launch of the 2nd Edition of ‘The Struggle for Health’

Barriers and facilitators of and strategies for successful community engagement in infectious disease clinical trials in low- and middle- income countries

By: Bey-Marrié Schmidt, Carmen Späth, Myrna van Pinxteren, Primus Che Chi, Charles S Wiysonge, Joy Oliver, Christopher James Colvin

Determinants and rates of retention in HIV care among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in Windhoek, Namibia: a baseline cohort analysis

By: Farai K. Munyani,  Brian van Wyk

Asking the Experts: Using Cognitive Interview Techniques to Explore the Face Validity of the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV

By: Zaido Orth, Brian van Wyk

Drivers of retention of the HIV workforce transitioned from PEPFAR support to the Uganda government payroll

By: Henry Zakumumpa, Joseph Rujumba, Marjorie Kyomuhendo, Ilyse Stempler, Woldekidan Amde

Report of Activities 2019 – 2020


We have published reports of our activities every two years for about the past twenty years.

This year we are publishing it electronically for the first time, perhaps reflecting the rapidly accelerated replacement of print with on-line resources (although I don’t think I will change my preference for reading in print). But while the electronic format will make the report easily available around the world, easily readable on mobile phones and tablets, I am also aware that the ubiquitous presence of on-line meetings, digital resources and a world of information that can be tapped any time does not mean equitable access. When we surveyed our students and short course participants last year, we learned that while access has increased substantially, bandwidth, data access and data cost, remain substantial barriers

Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance via Community-based Responsive Dialogues

This project, funded by ICARS (International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions)  through a grant from Wellcome from February to December 2023, developed guidelines to facilitate Responsive Dialogues to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in LMIC settings.