Women are considered the backbone for a progressing nation. Women’s capabilities are often underestimated because of their gender, but they should be given equal opportunity to show their skills on various levels. This is true in the leadership and malaria control space too.

Malaria elimination strategies are constantly evolving as both successes are achieved and new challenges emerge. Managers in control programmes must be able to rapidly assess the impact of control interventions and adapt as needed in order to achieve desired outcomes. There is a lack in crucial leadership and management skills in many national malaria control programmes (NMCPs) across Africa. Not only do NMCPs lack the key leadership skills to help reach malaria elimination targets in the countries, but there are also limited numbers of women in senior and middle management positions.

A capacity building opportunity

The University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), other University of Pretoria (UP), and external partners and stakeholders developed a leadership and management training course for impact in malaria eradication. The course aims to develop skills including problem-solving, the ability to develop and implement effective evidence-based elimination strategies, and a willingness to adopt new techniques and technologies, in leaders and managers in NMCPs in the SADC Elimination 8 countries – Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The course started in April 2022 with more than 50% of course participants enrolled being female. “The aim of recruiting women working in malaria control programmes to receive training is to enable them to transition to more senior positions where possible”, said Prof Tiaan de Jager, Director of the UP ISMC.  “Out of the 28 faculty members included in the curriculum, 13 are female experts in leadership and management sciences, or malaria”. In addition, women guest speakers and mentors will contribute towards the learning experience. “Women participants are paired with women mentors who have achieved success in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics arena to help upskill participants in aspects such as achieving a work-life balance and how to succeed in male-dominated workplaces”, said de Jager.

From left to right: Dr Jasihree Raman (course curriculum development), Ms Danielle Meyerowitz (course design), and Ms Mbavhalelo Shandukani (year-1 intake course participant)

Tailor-made by women

The primary developers of the course are two women. Training gaps and needs were identified through a desktop review and online survey. Dr Jaishree Raman, a principal medical scientist at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and an Extraordinary lecturer in the School of Health Systems & Public Health (SHSPH) at the UP, was the primary course curriculum developer. Ms Danielle Meyerowitz, an early career lecturer and learning journey designer from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) of the UP, was the primary course designer. She also equipped the GIBS implementation team with the required knowledge to run this specialised course.

Dr Raman plays an active role in training NMCP workers on concepts such as surveillance and case management. “Involving women in all levels of decision-making and leadership roles has been shown to dramatically improve company/programme performance. Historically, within African malaria control programmes leadership and decision-making roles have been male-dominated. It is crucial that we have equal representation of male and female voices at all levels within malaria programmes to ensure all opinions are heard and considered. It is only when we achieve this, do I believe that we will accelerate towards malaria elimination”, she said.

Danielle Meyerowitz, reflects on the importance of gender equity in workplaces from a different angle. “I believe that some of the greatest underrated future skills we need to cultivate in our workplaces, businesses and society as a whole, are related to typically feminine traits. Feminine traits, which at times have been dismissed or even discouraged in the workplace, will hold enormous potential in our complex interdependent future. There is a need to understand the emotional landscape, tap into our humanity and collaborate, develop social capital across hierarchy or roles, and cultivate empathy for meaningful value add and innovation. Without the incorporation of these skills & capabilities we run the risk of leading our businesses, teams and societies into a future we are unable to adapt to”.  

Of benefit to women

Ms Mbavhalelo Shandukani, recently appointed as the Deputy Director of Malaria and Other Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases at the South African national department of health, enrolled in the course at the start of 2022. “The opportunity to be a participant in the malaria leadership-building course couldn't have come at a better time to equip me with the much-needed management skills required in my new role as a Deputy Director of a malaria control programm”, she said. “The course has exposed me to various aspects I needed to learn about myself, team members and stakeholders, which may be a hindrance or may propel me to becoming an effective manager. One of the key things I’ve learnt and implemented is being inclusive of all the team members without looking at the ranks but rather take and acknowledge their contribution or role to the team as valuable toward the progress of malaria elimination in the country”.

The course developers are adapting the curriculum for 2023 according to feedback from the year-1 intake. Year-1 intake women will have the opportunity to share their experiences and act as mentors to women enrolees of the year-2 intake. Read more about the course.