Dr. Olive Shisana is a professional with extensive research, management, policy development, fundraising, multilateral, and networking skills spanning over thirty years. Her experience working in the USA, South Africa, and Switzerland enhanced her skills in managing diverse environments.
For six and a half years, Prof Shisana served as the Social Policy Special Advisor to the President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa. This role included providing advice on National Health Insurance and strengthening health systems.
As a scientist, she researches ways to improve healthcare access regarding National Health Insurance (universal health coverage). She served as chair of the Ministerial Advisory on the National Health Insurance Committee for five years. Subsequently, she supported the Ministry of Health in developing the National Health Insurance legislation, plan, funding strategies, service provision, and concomitant quality improvement of the health system.
For two years, she served as a technical co-chair of the global ACT-A, which aims to ensure the rapid development, scale-up, and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, supported by the strengthening of health systems.
She graduated with a Doctor of Science from Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health. Her main area of expertise is the epidemiology and risk factors of communicable diseases such as COVID-19 and HIV. She was the founder and Principal Investigator for four waves of the population-based HIV survey (2002-2012), which gained international recognition.
She is an honorary professor at the University of Cape Town Psychiatry & Mental Health Department and was awarded the Doctor of Laws honoris causa by Monash University in 2014.
In addition, she was the Chair of the South African BRICS Think Tank, incubating it on behalf of South Africa and developing draft health indicators. She served for ten years as CEO of the Human Sciences Research Council, the first woman to head it. Before this, she served as Executive Director of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health at the same organization. She served on many national and international scientific committees and advisory boards, such as co-chair of the 2016 International AIDS Conference, Emory University Global Health Institute Advisory Board, African Health Research Institute, the South African National AIDS Council, and as chair of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign. She often represented South Africa in the G20 Finance and Health Taskforce deliberations on pandemic preparedness and response.
She is also the President and CEO of EB Consulting (Pty) Ltd, a company based in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition, she founded Cape Nexis Data Solutions, an ICT School based in Polokwane, and recently added the CapeNexis ICT Hub in a rural area.
She was awarded the highest national order, the Order of Baobab, in Bronze: “For her outstanding contribution to the field of science and community service, particularly her tireless work in researching solutions to the scourges of HIV and AIDS.”
She received the South African Academy of Sciences’ Science-for-Society Gold Medal in 2013. She also served as the co-chair of the first African Gender Summit in 2015 and the AIDS 2016 Global Conference held in Durban.
She served on the Report of The High-Level Panel on The Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change commissioned by the South African Parliament.