Dr Sengeziwe Sibeko
Dr Sengeziwe Sibeko is a Public Health Expert and Clinician Scientist specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, Global Health, and HIV Mucosal Immunology. She serves as Chief Research Specialist in the Public Health, Societies, and Belonging Division at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Dr Sibeko earned her DPhil from the University of Oxford in 2017, focusing on HIV-1 prevention in women's health, and holds an MSc from Columbia University, which she obtained under the CU-SA Fogarty AITRP Fellowship award. She has contributed significantly to global health, serving on committees including the Data and Safety Monitoring Board for the ECHO clinical trial convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) and membership in the WHO-convened 14-member task force team that studied the association between contraceptives and HIV acquisition. Dr Sibeko'' notable research includes her role as a Research Gynaecologist in the CAPRISA004 trial, which demonstrated tenofovir gel's efficacy for the first time in reducing HIV risk in women at a global level. Her research focuses on women'' health issues, especially HIV prevention for women, as well as the human papillomavirus in women living with HIV. Recently, her research has concentrated on the intersection between noncommunicable diseases and HIV-1. She has held leadership positions in the HIV-1 prevention sector and recently led the development of the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs. Her work has earned her recognition from the National Department of Science and Innovation and the Sidney Kark Award from the Mailman School of Public Health.
