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24 April 2025 | Story Reuben Maeko | Photo Supplied
Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo
Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo, UFS academic in the Division of Public Health within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UFS.

Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo, an academic in the Division of Public Health within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), will make history when she becomes the first academic from the institution to be inaugurated into the Global Young Academy (GYA).

Dr Mulondo is one of two South Africans that are part of the 2025 cohort of incoming members who will be inaugurated to the sought-after prestigious Academy in Hyderabad, India. The other South African is Dr Mbuzeleni Hlongwa, a Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council.

The Global Young Academy is a network institution of the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board which allows young scientists from around the world to collaborate on research, set the global agenda, and contribute to global policies. The GYA develops, connects and mobilises young talent from six continents, and empowers young researchers to lead international, interdisciplinary and intergenerational dialogue and contribute to societal challenges. The GYA aims to elevate the voice of young scientists in evidence-informed and inclusive global, regional and national decision making.

The membership is comprised of passionate young scientists, typically who obtained their PhD degrees three to 10 years earlier, are between 30 to 40 years of age, and in the early stages of their independent academic careers. Members are selected for their scientific excellence and commitment to engage with society, and serve five-year terms.

 

Global Young Academy

“I feel honoured to be selected. The selection further cements the ingenuity of young African scientists and our ability to shape the global agenda. It allows us to envision a future together which leans towards empathy, kindness and unity,” said Dr Mulondo.

The Academy hopes to bridge the gap between established and new academics as well the gap between academics from the Global North and Global South. Further positioning academics from the south for interdisciplinary collaboration and publication in high impact journals to address complex and emerging challenges such as public health issues. The Academy selects young academics who display contribution to research, dedication to serving society and the ability to make an impact on the Academy’s community.

 

Aspirations in the academy

The recognition is testament that Africa is still producing globally competitive academics. This achievement is even better as it comes during the G20 presidency when Africa is showing what the developing world can produce. Coincidentally, Dr Mulondo, was one of the invited speakers at the G20 Research & Innovation Working Group, joining other selected young academics.

According to Dr Mulondo, who won the Zenith Global Health Award under the category ‘Mental Health and Well-being’ last year and was first runner-up in the category Emerging Leader at the South African Health Excellence Award. Academics from Africa have a responsibility to contribute to the development of the continent through evidence-based advice and solutions to policymakers. This membership allows young academics to stay in touch with global scientific trends and shifts in order to be better informed about resolving some of humanity’s most pressing crises.

She hopes to continue to advance public health strategies that prioritise mental health and health equity. With geopolitical complexities, climate changes and technological advancements shaping our future, the Academy allows for voices from the Global South to contribute to global policies and influence global policy decisions. “As a mentor and supervisor of master’s and PhD students in Public Health, I hope to contribute to ushering in a new generation of well-rounded public health researchers who are societally engaged.”

Prof Anthea Rhoda, UFS Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, congratulated Dr Mulondo, saying the UFS is extremely proud of her. “Being selected as one of two South African scholars to the Global Young Academy demonstrates her dedication as a public health scholar passionate about making a difference in the health and well-being of society. Well done, on this great achievement.”

News Archive

Fight against Ebola virus requires more research
2014-10-22

 

Dr Abdon Atangana
Photo: Ifa Tshishonge
Dr Abdon Atangana, a postdoctoral researcher in the Institute for Groundwater Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS), wrote an article related to the Ebola virus: Modelling the Ebola haemorrhagic fever with the beta-derivative: Deathly infection disease in West African countries.

“The filoviruses belong to a virus family named filoviridae. This virus can cause unembellished haemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman monkeys. In literature, only two members of this virus family have been mentioned, namely the Marburg virus and the Ebola virus. However, so far only five species of the Ebola virus have been identified, including:  Ivory Coast, Sudan, Zaire, Reston and Bundibugyo.

“Among these families, the Ebola virus is the only member of the Zaire Ebola virus species and also the most dangerous, being responsible for the largest number of outbreaks.

“Ebola is an unusual, but fatal virus that causes bleeding inside and outside the body. As the virus spreads through the body, it damages the immune system and organs. Ultimately, it causes the blood-clotting levels in cells to drop. This leads to severe, uncontrollable bleeding.

Since all physical problems can be modelled via mathematical equation, Dr Atangana aimed in his research (the paper was published in BioMed Research International with impact factor 2.701) to analyse the spread of this deadly disease using mathematical equations. We shall propose a model underpinning the spread of this disease in a given Sub-Saharan African country,” he said.

The mathematical equations are used to predict the future behaviour of the disease, especially the spread of the disease among the targeted population. These mathematical equations are called differential equation and are only using the concept of rate of change over time.

However, there is several definitions for derivative, and the choice of the derivative used for such a model is very important, because the more accurate the model, the better results will be obtained.  The classical derivative describes the change of rate, but it is an approximation of the real velocity of the object under study. The beta derivative is the modification of the classical derivative that takes into account the time scale and also has a new parameter that can be considered as the fractional order.  

“I have used the beta derivative to model the spread of the fatal disease called Ebola, which has killed many people in the West African countries, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, since December 2013,” he said.

The constructed mathematical equations were called Atangana’s Beta Ebola System of Equations (ABESE). “We did the investigation of the stable endemic points and presented the Eigen-Values using the Jacobian method. The homotopy decomposition method was used to solve the resulted system of equations. The convergence of the method was presented and some numerical simulations were done for different values of beta.

“The simulations showed that our model is more realistic for all betas less than 0.5.  The model revealed that, if there were no recovery precaution for a given population in a West African country, the entire population of that country would all die in a very short period of time, even if the total number of the infected population is very small.  In simple terms, the prediction revealed a fast spread of the virus among the targeted population. These results can be used to educate and inform people about the rapid spread of the deadly disease,” he said.

The spread of Ebola among people only occurs through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person after symptoms have developed. Body fluid that may contain the Ebola virus includes saliva, mucus, vomit, faeces, sweat, tears, breast milk, urine and semen. Entry points include the nose, mouth, eyes, open wounds, cuts and abrasions. Note should be taken that contact with objects contaminated by the virus, particularly needles and syringes, may also transmit the infection.

“Based on the predictions in this paper, we are calling on more research regarding this disease; in particular, we are calling on researchers to pay attention to finding an efficient cure or more effective prevention, to reduce the risk of contamination,” Dr Atangana said.


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