UKZN professor appointed to global human reproduction research group - IOL

UKZN Professor Kaymarlin Govender has been appointed to the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group of the WHO-led Human Reproduction Programme for a three-year term.

University of KwaZulu-Natal Professor Kaymarlin Govender has secured a three-year appointment to a global scientific advisory group that helps shape research priorities in human reproduction.

Govender, Research Director at UKZN’s Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD), will serve on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Children’s Fund/World Health Organization/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) from 2027 to 2029.

The appointment recognises more than two decades of Govender’s work in behavioural science, health systems, health policy, HIV and AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health research.

He has worked extensively across sub-Saharan Africa, providing research and technical support to governments, non-governmental organisations, multilateral agencies and advocacy organisations.

UKZN Executive Director: Corporate Relations Dr Normah Zondo said Govender’s appointment reflected the depth and international relevance of research being produced by the university.

She said his expertise would give UKZN an opportunity to contribute to international discussions on research priorities affecting health policy, health systems and communities around the world.

As a member of the advisory group, Govender will help review HRP’s scientific and technical work, advise on research priorities and approaches, and assess the quality, relevance and potential impact of the programme’s activities.

For Govender, the appointment is an opportunity to ensure global research priorities remain connected to the realities of communities in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in Africa.

He said research priorities needed to account for the lived experiences of people affected by poverty, gender inequality, stigma, violence and limited resources.

His research focuses not only on whether health interventions work, but also whether they are affordable, cost-effective, sustainable and capable of being implemented through existing health systems.

Govender also wants to strengthen recognition of evidence generated in low- and middle-income countries, arguing that African researchers and communities have valuable knowledge and experience to contribute to global health research.

His international experience includes work with organisations such as Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Global Fund and the Wellcome Trust.

Zondo congratulated Govender, saying the appointment brought distinction to UKZN while creating another avenue for the university’s research expertise to contribute to global health priorities.