Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management

Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management The Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management is dedicated to education, research and community engagement in health leadership.

It integrates critical management theory and African knowledge systems to address complex health ecosystems. The Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management, formerly the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management,
is dedicated to education, research and community engagement in health leadership and transformation. Established in response to South Africa’s HIV/Aids epidemic, the centre launched the P

ostgraduate Diploma
in HIV/Aids Management in 2001, focusing on the workplace's role in combatting the epidemic. Over two
decades, the centre has evolved to address the complexities of health ecosystems, integrating critical
management theory and African knowledge systems into its approach. Current postgraduate diploma offering
The PgDip in HIV/Aids Management provides people with the skills to address the intersection of HIV/Aids and public health challenges, offering modules on:
• Epidemiology and research: Understanding HIV trends and developing evidence-based interventions
• Policy and advocacy: Designing policies that promote equity and systemic change
• Programme management and leadership: Leading HIV/Aids initiatives in diverse organisational contexts

Future direction
From 2026, the diploma will include an elective stream in inclusive health management, preparing leaders to address the broader determinants of health through:
• Critical management praxis: Leadership strategies to navigate systemic barriers
• Intersectionality and design: Creating inclusive, context-sensitive programmes
• Political economy of health: Addressing funding and policy gaps to achieve equity

Additional postgraduate diploma programmes (Inclusive Health Management and Community Health Management) are currently being registered and developed, and will be on offer by 2030. CONTACT DETAILS
Academic programme coordinator
Ms Anja Laas
+27 (0) 21 808 2964
[email protected]

29/08/2026

Africa Centre advisory board member and SANAC CEO Dr Thembisile Lynette Xulu has been appointed as director-general in South Africa's national department of health. That's what we call making good waves and we are so proud of her!

This is an outstanding achievement for an already accomplished leader and all women of (South) Africa, all the more special as it's squeezed in late in Women’s Month.

Watch this space for our story about Thembi's priorities and plans. In the meantime, here's some background about her:
https://www.healthmanagement.sun.ac.za/dr-thembisile-lynette-xulu/

SANAC
Stellenbosch University

We’re pleased to introduce Prof Yaa Adobea Owusu as one of the regional keynote speakers on day 2 of the religion and sp...
26/08/2026

We’re pleased to introduce Prof Yaa Adobea Owusu as one of the regional keynote speakers on day 2 of the religion and spirituality in healthcare conference in mid-September, presented by Africa Centre partner HospiVision.

Prof Owusu is a professor of medical sociology and public health at the University of Ghana. Her research focuses on the social and behavioural aspects of health and health services.

In her address, she will examine the role of spirituality in health-seeking behaviour and patient care in Ghana, where more than 95% of the population identify with a religious persuasion and where biomedical, traditional and faith-based systems of healing operate alongside one another.

Prof Owusu says spirituality is neither a barrier to biomedical care nor an unregulated substitute; it is a determinant of health that requires empirical research and rights-based policy attention.

For more insightful presentations on the intersection between spirituality and healthcare, register here for the conference: https://www.hospivision.org.za/pages/conference?srsltid=AfmBOooZ-4RtwM9T-Oed3r346spdc6pY0m-W-LBMLMCGfpDn-G-tQfa7

HospiVision NPO
Stellenbosch University

21/08/2026

This week we hosted an academic supervision by publication workshop, presented by seasoned academic Prof Brian van Wyk, one of our board members. It was aimed at students as well as academic supervisors, to grow a publication footprint and get their research work out in the market.

The main purpose was to explore and grow capacity and expertise in postgraduate academic supervision by publication, notably to encourage academics to publish with their master’s and doctoral students.

Brian introduced the four steps in PG supervision as defined by the student-life cycle: conceptualisation of the study/project, data collection, analysis and write-up. The group considered how these can be implemented to produce student-lead publications. They reviewed the challenges in PG supervision and looked at mitigating them. The group considered the role and benefit of student-led publications, as these facilitate meeting institutional expectations and career progression. They also reviewed several models of PG supervision, and its dynamic, interactive and overlapping implementation across the student-life cycle.

After the session, senior lecturer Dr Burt Davis said he wanted to understand the strategies that can be employed to successfully graduate PhD students via the publication route, and how to motivate students to choose this option. He also wanted to learn how to develop a strategy to publish, understand different supervisory styles and how to decide which style to use for specific students.

Prof Tania Ajam of SU's School of Public Leadership said "I attended the workshop to understand how I could improve my supervisory skills in respect of publication by articles. I have supervised PhDs by monograph before, but I am now supervising my first dissertation by publication of articles."

Monographs are the traditional and most popular route for our students and academics in their doctoral projects ‒ the Africa Centre would like to encourage them to do PhDs by journal article publication or via a hybrid route.

Brian says: "The workshop succeeded in encouraging participants to consider the significant benefits of implementing a PG supervision by publication strategy at both master’s and PhD level, by instilling a ‘How to’ and ‘Can do’ mentality."

Stellenbosch University

Spirituality is a vital aspect of holistic healthcare and plays a crucial role in patients' health and wellbeing. Yet th...
20/08/2026

Spirituality is a vital aspect of holistic healthcare and plays a crucial role in patients' health and wellbeing. Yet the scientific focus of modern western healthcare – where the integration of body, mind and spirit in patient care is often overlooked – means spiritual support has been neglected.

We’re looking forward to tackling this important topic at the religion and spirituality in healthcare conference coming up on 14 to 16 September, hosted by HospiVision, in partnership with the Africa Centre.

The three-day programme is jam-packed with presentations from researchers from various fields who will showcase their latest findings, share evidence-based practices and discuss cutting-edge research in the field of religion and spirituality in healthcare. To encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas, each day will be concluded with a QnA session – see the full programme below.

Keynote speakers include:
• Prof John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care at the University of Aberdeen
• Prof Christo Thesnaar, professor of pastoral care and counselling at Stellenbosch University
• Prof Yaa Adobea Owusu, professor of medical sociology and public health at the University of Ghana
• Africa Centre director Prof Munya Saruchera

If you’d like to attend, register here: https://www.hospivision.org.za/pages/conference?srsltid=AfmBOooZ-4RtwM9T-Oed3r346spdc6pY0m-W-LBMLMCGfpDn-G-tQfa7



HospiVision NPO
Stellenbosch University
@

Webinar crowd, we'll see you online at 15:00 SAST! Stellenbosch University
19/08/2026

Webinar crowd, we'll see you online at 15:00 SAST!



Stellenbosch University

Last day to register for tomorrow's webinar on the implications of positioning women as the gateway to care. Inclusion t...
18/08/2026

Last day to register for tomorrow's webinar on the implications of positioning women as the gateway to care. Inclusion then becomes conditional on their unpaid labour, social positioning and capacity to bridge institutional and relational gaps.

Are we building systems that genuinely accommodate diverse users, or systems that depend on women to compensate for their inaccessibility? Join us and be part of this thought-provoking conversation!

Register here: 17951ecd-b120-461b-b7bc-80c407ea3fc9@a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/17951ecd-b120-461b-b7bc-80c407ea3fc9@a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348



Stellenbosch University

Strategic partnerships built on a shared commitment to inclusive health management are one of the cornerstones of the Af...
16/08/2026

Strategic partnerships built on a shared commitment to inclusive health management are one of the cornerstones of the Africa Centre’s work. Our partnership with non-profit faith-based organisation HospiVision focuses on promoting the integration of spirituality into health management practices, which is why we’re thrilled to partner with them for the religion and spirituality in healthcare conference in September.

According to HospiVision CEO Dr Annemarie Oberholzer, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing and advocating for holistic healthcare in Africa: “We believe that health is more than the absence of disease – it includes physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing ... Our volunteers and chaplains provide emotional, spiritual and practical support to some of the most vulnerable members of our communities … This aligns closely with the Africa Centre's vision of strengthening health systems that promote equitable access, efficient service delivery and social justice.”

While the centre focuses on developing inclusive health systems through research, leadership and policy, HospiVision contributes at the point of care by addressing needs that are often overlooked but have a profound impact on patients' wellbeing and healthcare experience. HospiVision also contributes to research and professional education in spirituality and health by supporting multiple research projects at universities across South Africa.

For more information about the topics and speakers you can expect at the conference and to register, visit HospiVision’s website: https://www.hospivision.org.za/pages/conference?srsltid=AfmBOooZ-4RtwM9T-Oed3r346spdc6pY0m-W-LBMLMCGfpDn-G-tQfa7



HospiVision NPO
Annemarie Oberholzer
Stellenbosch University

15/08/2026

The presenters of our 19 August webinar are SUCH a skilled group of women. We're really looking forward to this event, where more people will get the opportunity to hear their views and interact with them. Don't miss this opportunity to hear more about the implications of women being positioned as ‘entry points’ of care.

Dr Chioma Ohajunwa is a senior lecturer at the Africa Centre. Her research interests include wellbeing and spirituality, critical disability studies and indigenous maternal care, transculturality, decoloniality discourse and indigenous knowledge systems, and how these areas intersect with health management in communities in Africa.

Dr Rosemary Chimbala-Kalenga is a public health researcher and academic, advocating for equitable and inclusive health systems in Africa. At Nelson Mandela University, she leads interdisciplinary research on HIV/Aids, gender, mental health, indigenous health systems and health equity. Her work focuses on amplifying marginalised voices, particularly those of women, rural communities and people living with HIV.

Dr Ntombekhaya Tshabalala is a disability studies scholar and community engagement strategist focused on advancing inclusive development in rural South Africa. Her work centres on participatory, community-led approaches that integrate indigenous knowledge systems, cultural context and social equity.

Dr Mmatshilo Motsei is an author, researcher, healer and social justice practitioner whose work explores the intersections of childbirth, spirituality and structural violence, with particular attention to obstetric violence and the political foundations of maternity care in African contexts.

Prof Nomusa Mngoma is a research scientist dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research and community-engaged public health initiatives in South Africa and Canada. Her work integrates rehabilitation science, culturally responsive care, arts-based methodologies and community partnerships to improve health outcomes among underserved and rural populations.

Dr Mapheyeledi Sibindlana (facilitator) is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Africa Centre. Her research is concerned with understanding (institutional) violence from a critical-decolonial perspective and looking at the consequences for health and wellbeing.

Register online (and add to calendar) before or on 18 August: 17951ecd-b120-461b-b7bc-80c407ea3fc9@a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/17951ecd-b120-461b-b7bc-80c407ea3fc9@a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348



Stellenbosch University

Address

19 Joubert Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch
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