Invited South African Speakers
Professor Mohambry Nadesan (Morgan) Chetty
Professor Mohambry ‘Morgan’ Chetty, is a registered Specialist Family Physician who serves as the Chairman of the IPA Foundation of South Africa and the Chairman of the KwaZulu Natal Doctors’ Healthcare Coalition. He is also a visiting Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at the Durban University of Technology.
Prof Chetty was awarded the Fellowship of Family Physicians by the College of Medicine of South Africa in 2013 (FCP(SA)) and in 2019, was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) by the Nelson Mandela University. He currently writes for the Medical Chronicles Journal, among others, has authored two books on Managed Care, and is a renowned local and international speaker.
He has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards, including the Life Achievement Award for Quality in Healthcare; Discovery Health and BHF Titanium Awards for Excellence in 2018 and 2017 respectively; and in 1993/1994 was the recipient of the Fullbright-Humphrey Scholarship in the USA where he completed his MPH.
Prof Chetty’s interests are in quality and safety in healthcare; and working as an advocate for Best Practice Medicine.
He is currently the Advisor of Schemes on Clinical Practice and Peer Monitoring; and is the Vice-President (African Global Health) on the Harm Reduction in Healthcare Scientific Committee.
Shirvani Naran
Shirvani Naran is one of the oldest people in South Africa living with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare and often fatal skin condition.
Anchored by her very strong Christian conviction, she shares a powerful message of hope, resilience and endurance.
Born in a world with little medical guidance and no internet, her family kept her surviving through trial and error. She has navigated immense physical challenges, cultural stigma and corporate limitations – all due to her medical condition.
Forced to leave traditional employment, Shirvani built a work-from-home career and uses her platform to advocate for compassionate care, raise awareness and inspire others to live boldly despite adversity. She has accomplished all this – and so much more – while being a wife, mother and home-maker.
Her story has been featured widely in the media – including in the Daily Mail, YOU Magazine and the Sunday Times, as well as on various radio and podcast platforms. Shirvani’s story resonates strongly with audiences because of her rare strength, faith and message of hope.
Professor Elelwani Ramugondo
Professor Elelwani Ramugondo is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She was previously Deputy Dean for Post-graduate Education in the Faculty of Health Sciences and chair of UCT’s Academic Freedom Committee. Between June 2009 and December 2013, she held the position of head of Occupational Therapy.
She served as an occupational therapist in rural South Africa and the United States of America, and established the first Occupational Therapy Department at Tshilidzini Special School in Limpopo. In 1998 she returned to UCT as an academic.
A founding member of UCT’s Black Academic Caucus, Professor Ramugondo was appointed special advisor on transformation to the vice-chancellor during the call to decolonise the university by the student-led #RhodesMustFall movement. She was instrumental in crafting the UCT Curriculum Change Framework, which is centred on decoloniality. She currently co-convenes UCT’s Decolonial Summer School.
In 2023, she was awarded the Ruth Zemke Lectureship in Occupational Science by the Society for the Study of Occupation: USA, and holds an honorary professorship at Stirling University, United Kingdom.
Professor Ramugondo has recently been named one of 12 Remarkable African Life Scientists in a book authored by Dr Tabitha Wanja Mwangi and published by Jacana for the Kenya Medical Research Institute Wellcome Trust Research Programme.