Dr Lindiwe Makubalo was appointed to the position of Assistant Regional Director in 2021. She oversees the Regional Offices effort to strengthen Coordination and Integration of functions. In addition, she is responsible for cross cutting areas - Anti-microbial resistance, Diagnostics and Laboratory Services, Data Analytics and knowledge Management, Research & Innovation, Integrated Service Delivery as well as new units focusing on Strategic Development & Monitoring and Science & Innovation.
Dr Makubalo has over 25 years of national and international experience. She participated actively in post-apartheid health reform and restructuring of the health sector including developing policy and legislative instruments in her country South Africa and was responsible for areas such as health research, epidemiology and surveillance, health information systems and monitoring in the National Department of Health. She has served numerous WHO expert advisory committees and bodies such as the Medicines Control Council and Board of the Medical Research Council.
Prior to joining the African Regional office, Dr Makubalo held a diplomatic position as Minister (Health) to the United Nations representing the South African Government and contributing to global policy shaping in diverse areas including UHC, NCDs, Ebola, Covid-19, and access to medicines. She previously held research positions at the WHOs Tropical Diseases Research Centre in Zambia focusing on tropical diseases research and PHC delivery systems; and the South African MRC focusing largely on HIV/AIDS.
Dr Makubalo holds a Doctorate degree in Community Medicine (Health Care Epidemiology) from the University of Londons’ School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has a Masters and Bachelors Degrees from the University of Zambia and Master of Science from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
