Reimagining Health Systems for Wellbeing: a Collective Conversation

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how health systems need to be resilient, inclusive and geared towards prevention and preparedness – not just emergency response.  UCT hosted a dialogue series which was convened by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mosa Moshabela, entitled Collect Conversations: on Science for Society. At this gathering, the participants discussed what it would take to build a health system that truly promotes wellbeing, rather than only treating disease in South Africa.  Themed, “Health systems for health and wellbeing”, the conversation explored what it would mean to have a more holistic approach to promoting physical, mental and social well-being across the life course.  Read more about the conversation here.  

Research Presentations at UCT UK Trust event in London

At the recent UCT UK Trust event in London, four UCT Rhodes scholars presented 5 minute talks highlighting key areas of their research. 

Dr Amy Booth is a South African medical doctor committed to environmentally sustainable and equitable health systems. She graduated summa cum laude and gold medallist from the UCT, where she led the UCT Surgical Society and was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Award, Kerry Capstick-Dale Leadership Award, Professor Mary Robertson Prize for Excellence, and other top honours. Currently based at the University of Oxford, her doctoral research, funded by a Rhodes Scholarship, focuses on decarbonising pharmaceutical supply chains. She has consulted for the WHO and UN, co-leads Oxford’s Sustainable Health Care course, and is a member of the UK Young Academy and Global Lethal Humidity Council. Her work on climate and health has been widely published and featured internationally. 

Sagel Julia Kundieko is pursuing a DPhil in Neuroscience at St John's College, Oxford University. She is a Rhodes and Clarendon scholar, as well as a Moshal and Mandela Rhodes scholarship alumna. Born in the DRC, Sagel completed her undergraduate studies at UCT, earning a BSc in Human Anatomy and Physiology and Genetics and a BMedSci (Honours) in Neuroscience and Physiology, both with distinctions. She also obtained an MSc in Neuroscience from UCT, where her research employed single-nucleus RNA sequencing and electrophysiology to investigate the relationship between inflammation and epilepsy. A dedicated advocate for neuroscience in Africa, Sagel serves as an executive member of the Southern African Neuroscience Society. Additionally, she is the founder of Elle Zeka, a digital marketing company focused on helping middle-aged African entrepreneurs thrive online. Sagel is the program coordinator of the Get It Done Mentorship Program, a leadership training initiative focused on empowering youth with soft skills to increase productivity. Her leadership has been recognised through service awards as academic chairperson of UCT's Science Student Council and as part of the Golden Key executive team. Beyond her professional and academic pursuits, Sagel writes poetry, enjoys gospel music, loves to dance, and is an avid guitar learner. 

Daniel Tate is a South African Rhodes Scholar, Allan Gray Fellow, and DPhil (PhD) candidate in International Relations at the University of Oxford. He holds three degrees: a Master’s degree in International Relations from Oxford, an Honour’s degree in the same discipline from the UCT and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, also from UCT.  He has four years of award-winning experience at the highest levels of student leadership. He serves as the Chairperson of the Oxford Climate Alumni Network, a registered charity and global alumni network of the University of Oxford, which leverages the Oxford alumni network towards solving the climate crisis.   Daniel has served in multiple senior student leadership roles, including as the Social Sciences Divisional Representative at the University of Oxford and as a member of the UCT Students’ Representative Council. At UCT, he earned multiple awards for his efforts, which include building the University's largest student-run entrepreneurship competition (‘The Pitch’).  

Kukhokuhle Tsengwa graduated cum laude from the mechatronics engineering programme at UCT.  During his time there, he worked on projects involving autonomous systems such as drones, wireless charging, and as part of a start-up team building a mobile phone independent panic button. After graduating, he joined Toyota South Africa Motors as part of the team that brought the first hybrid vehicle to South Africa.  Thereafter he completed a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at UCT’s African Robotics Unit where his research used signal processing techniques to monitor muscle activity non-invasively, with potential applications to orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation. He is an amateur mathematician, taking pure mathematics courses alongside his research. Kukhokuhle is currently pursuing a DPhil at Oxford’s Robotics Institute.  He is passionate about building robots that can leap out of the lab into the world and add value to real people's lives.  In his spare time, Kukhokuhle enjoys jogging, reading and recording educational YouTube videos.