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Women in Sciences - Changing The Future
Women in Science and Healthcare
By Jessie Taylor
Women are widely employed in the healthcare sector and play a critical role in promoting the wellbeing of their communities. Yet despite the sector employing a significant amount of women – some estimates place the figure as high as 80% - there are still some areas in which gender inequalities persist, including in leadership positions and wage gaps.
According to research by Oxfam, women comprise more than 90% of South Africa’s nurses, accounting for more than three-quarters of the healthcare system. However, most remain paid significantly less than other healthcare professionals. The research indicated that it would take the average nurse more than 60 years to earn the annual salary of a chief executive officer of one of the private hospital groups in South Africa.
President of Women in Global Health (WGH) South Africa Professor Flavia Senkubuge says that while 70% of the global health workforce was women, with around 90% of healthcare practitioners who provide direct healthcare to women, they hold less than 25% of the global health leadership positions. “In order to bring communities forward for sustainable and equitable development, we need to loudly, boldly and unapologetically speak the names of our pioneering mothers and grandmothers, not only to learn but to acknowledge, recognise and loudly celebrate their paving of our way.
“Because of these women and many others like them, thousands and thousands of other women have now entered the science field and are contributing daily towards achieving the global promise to create sustainable and equitable development in science, leaving no one behind.”
Some of the women who are paving the way for others include:
Thato Schermer
Thato Schermer co-founded Zoie Health Technologies, which provides a healthcare platform focused on women’s health services. The platform offers virtual consults, at-home consults, medication subscriptions, resources, and a community of women to support one another.
The idea was born between Thato and co-founder Dr Nonie Sitole when they were shocked at how expensive it was to go to the gynaecologist or purchase contraception, the lack of access many women have to healthcare, and how little support is available for women struggling with mental health.
Since its launch in August 2021, Zoie Health has positively impacted thousands of women’s lives. “We believe women deserve access to affordable, convenient and caring healthcare at every stage of their lives. We’re building Africa’s first digital women’s health clinic for 500 million women, offering a holistic portal that includes much-needed support for family planning, fertility, maternity and beyond.”
Although she describes herself as an “accidental entrepreneur”, Thato received the Top 200 Mail & Guardian Young South Africans award and the Top 50 Inspiring Women in South Africa award. Zoie Health was named one of SA’s Top 5 Most Exciting Startups in 2022.
Dr. Patience Mthunzi-Kufa
Dr Patience Mthunzi-Kufa leads the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)’s biophotonics research and holds the position of Deputy Chairperson of the new Advisory Council on National Orders. She was appointed as Deputy Chairperson of the new Advisory Council on National Orders by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The National Orders are prestigious awards the President bestows upon South African citizens.
The Advisory Council on National Orders evaluates nominations of deserving individuals and provides recommendations to the President. “I am humbled to be appointed to this important role by the President. This appointment is a vote of confidence in my capabilities as a leader. The appointment is not just for me but for the entire CSIR because when I execute my duties, I will also be representing what the CSIR stands for,” says Dr Mthunzi-Kufa.
Dr Mthunzi-Kufa holds one of these honours herself. In April 2012, Dr Mthunzi-Kufa was bestowed the Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze for her contribution to Biochemistry and Biophotonics by then President Jacob Zuma, making her the youngest recipient of such an honour.
As the lead for biophotonics research at the CSIR, Dr Mthunzi-Kufa optically manipulates cells at the microscopic scale. Her work is making significant contributions to biophotonics and is helping to improve healthcare in South Africa.
Prof. Vanessa Steenkamp
As a professor in Pharmacology, Prof. Vanessa Steenkamp is a trailblazer in traditional medicine research. Prof Steenkamp’s research specialisation lies in traditional herbal medicine and toxicology. Her comprehensive approach encompasses pre-clinical tests for drugs targeting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, exploring wound healing, antimicrobial treatments, and anti-cancer therapies.
She is the Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria and the Deputy Chair of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). She has also held leadership roles at several prominent scientific organisations, such as the South African Association of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP), the Federation of South African Society of Pathology, and the Toxicology Society of South Africa.
As an active Women in Science for the Developing World African Chapter member, she remains committed to fostering the next generation of empowered women in science.
Not only are these women providing solutions to real problems faced by women, but they are also creating a society in which women can take up leading roles in advancing science and healthcare – for the betterment of all of society.
