Changing the face of Aids management
RUIMSIG – Highlighting those who are making strides in the fight against HIV/Aids.
One example of people who are shining light on the fight against Aids is Ureshnie Govender, who is completing her postgraduate Diploma in Management, specialising in HIV/Aids and Health at Monash South Africa (MSA).
Driven by a passion for the delivery of bench-to-bedside technology and ensuring life-changing concepts and products reach patients in need, there can be no doubt that Dr Govender will find herself assisting in the management of South Africa’s fight against HIV/Aids in the near future.
Dr Govender is a senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
By completing her current studies, she hopes to combine her research experience with strong management skills to support the important role she has to play in healthcare and medical sciences.
“Good management and inspired leadership are critical to research, programmes and systems put in place to manage the health and wellbeing of South African citizens living with HIV and other diseases,” said Dr Govender.
Growing up, she always wanted to be a medical doctor working with patients and she said, “I am passionate about improving the lives of people. Ultimately, although I didn’t study to be a practising doctor, I did follow the path of medical research, and I have focussed my energies on medical sciences.”
With an estimated 34 million people around the world living with HIV/Aids and 67 per cent of those cases coming from Sub-Saharan Africa – despite representing only 12 per cent of the world’s population, the need for the skills and passion displayed by this student of HIV Aids Management have never before been more pressing.
“I believe that good management is pivotal to well-run science, research and medical programmes. I wish to advance my skills in healthcare management in HIV and other diseases to play a more strategic role in driving programmes and research toward improved healthcare.”
Dr Govender is most inspired by Mahatma Ghandi’s call to, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’.
Her firm belief that “education is invaluable because the more we know, the more we can do to improve our lives and the lives of those around us,” is proof indeed that she lives this ethos with the commitment and dedication needed to tackle the HIV/Aids crisis.
Details: Monash University South Africa, inquiries@monash.ac.za or 011 950 4000.
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