South Africa Partners

Mandisa Mdingi is a nurse, public health researcher, and Research Manager at Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) Research Unit, where she leads the implementation of sexually transmitted infection (STI) research projects in East London, Eastern Cape. Her clinical nursing background informs her patient-centred and systems-focused research leadership. 

She is also a PhD candidate at the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, her research focuses on molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 

Mandisa advocates for strengthened STI management through improved diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and equitable access to quality sexual and reproductive health services. Her work bridges clinical care, molecular science, and policy to advance sustainable STI prevention and control strategies. 

Alex de Voux is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Cape Town, where she combines academic rigor with a deep commitment to improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Her career has been shaped by a passion for addressing health inequities and advancing evidence-based interventions for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

With a strong foundation in infectious disease epidemiology, Alex has developed expertise in designing and evaluating interventions that bridge the gap between research and practice. Her work spans mixed-methods research, health systems evaluation, and policy engagement, with a particular focus on women’s health and vulnerable populations. She collaborates with local and international partners to strengthen STI prevention and treatment strategies in resource-limited settings. 

Alex’s research has evaluated the time and costs associated with syndromic STI management during antenatal care to understand how STI diagnostic tests can be integrated efficiently. She is also part of a team developing a low-cost point-of-care HPV diagnostic test and is evaluating how to best integrate STI specimen collection and testing and specimen collection during antenatal care to bridge the gap between diagnostics and microbiome science. Alex has also evaluated the effect of STI interventions such as point-of-care testing on enhancing HIV PrEP uptake.  

Looking ahead, Alex envisions a future where STI advocacy is central to global health agendas. She hopes to contribute to building a strong advocacy platform that amplifies the voices of affected communities, reduces stigma, and drives policy change to ensure equitable access to innovative diagnostics and comprehensive sexual health services. Through research, collaboration, and advocacy, Alex strives to make sexual health a priority in public health discourse and practice.