Traditional Medicine

Biography
Nkosinathi Mncwabe, a PHD Candidate (Public Health), looking at the “Enablers and Constraints for Medical Pluralism in the treatment of cancer”. He holds a Masters in Medical Science (Public Health) and Honors in Anthropology. He has an extensive research experience both in Public Health and Anthropology. He has deep passion for public health work especially on humanitarian issues. He considers himself as an emerging and developing public health specialist who is committed to contribute to the discipline of public health, by bringing new perspectives for transforming public health to better cater for the multidimensional needs of society. He is currently working as Researcher Assistance at the Traditional Medicine Laboratory. His main role is conducting qualitative analysis of research materials liaising with stakeholders and conversion of research materials to publications. Previously he held a position as a Project Officer at the Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit CIDERU. His duties, included but were not limited to making sure that all the activities implemented at the Project research sites are rolled out as planned and on time while adhering to appropriate methodologies. He also led the Cancer Support Group project. Likewise, previous to this at CIDERU he also held a position as a Junior researcher where he led a study titled” An ethnographic study Exploring Cancer Patients Experiences of living with cancer illness in palliative care and support group settings in KwaZulu- Natal”.He has also participated as a facilitator for the (CMED1PC) Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu- Natal first year course module. He has worked as an anthropologist for the University of Stellenbosch conducting ethnographic research and documenting life histories of communities located along the Umfolozi River (Northern KZN- KwaZulu Natal. He has also worked for the University of Cape Town as a researcher assistance, assisting with the resource vs. educational outcome study at the Western Cape Primary Schools. Mr. Mncwabe has also had an international exposure in the Tourism, Health and Development in the South Rift Valley Field School in Ethiopia. Likewise, he has attended the international conference on cancer in Africa (AORTIC)- Mozambique (Maputo). He was also invited for a poster presentation at the 2023 7nth International African Palliative care conference in Uganda, well as at the 2023, South African Palliative care conference. This has also exposed him to a community of researchers and cooperation networks between European Union (EU) and African lecturers, researchers and students. He is a member of the UKZN United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA). He is also an active member of the UKZN Centre for Civil Society (CCS).