Pan-African Collaboration
A Nexus for Epidemic Modelling
A pan-African network of leading research institutions driving epidemic preparedness across five countries.
Pan-African Collaboration
A Nexus for Epidemic Modelling
A pan-African network of leading research institutions driving epidemic preparedness across five countries.
Leadership & Governance
Principal Investigator
Prof Sheetal Silal
Professor Sheetal Silal is the Director of the Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa (MASHA) and a Professor in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Cape Town. She is an internationally recognised leader in the field of infectious disease modelling, with a particular focus on vector-borne and vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa and globally. She is an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow in Tropical Disease Modelling at the University of Oxford.
Professor Silal's research centres on the development and application of mathematical transmission models to predict disease dynamics, evaluate the impact of public health interventions, and support evidence-based decision-making.
She is currently the Chair of the World Health Organization's Immunization and Vaccine Implementation Research Advisory Committee and serves on the WHO Collaboratory Technical Advisory Group. In these roles, she contributes to shaping global immunization strategy and advancing the use of modelling to guide health system decision-making.
The People
Team Members
Researchers, Students, and Administration and Finance embedded across all five consortium institutions.
Prof Thumbi Mwangi
Co-Principal Investigator
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
Prof Akindeh Mbuh Nji
Co-Principal Investigator
FINISTECH
Prof Heinrich Bohlmann
Co-Principal Investigator
University of Pretoria
Prof Sheetal Silal
Lead Principal Investigator
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa
Dr Cheikh Loucoubar
Co-Principal Investigator
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
Dr Tonderai Mapako
Co-Principal Investigator
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Dr Mutono Nyamai
Senior Researcher
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
Dr Rachel Hounsell
Senior Research Fellow
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa
EG
Dr Ethel Gwasira
Senior Research Fellow
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Dr Elisabet Martí Coma-Cros
Communications Officer
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa
RB
Dr Rutendo Birri Makota
Senior Research Fellow / MEAL Site Coordinator
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Dr Purity Wambui
Project Manager
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
Grace Carmichael
Early Career Researcher
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa
David Zezai
MEAL Lead
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Juliet Nyamasve
Middle Career Researcher
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Dr Randolph Ngwafor
Research Fellow
FINISTECH
Jessika Bohlmann
Senior Research Fellow / MEAL Site Coordinator / Communications Site Coordinator
University of Pretoria
Lydia Dreyer
Finance Officer
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa
TF
Tatou Fidele Alain
Finance Site Coordinator / MEAL Site Coordinator
FINISTECH
Dr Maryam Diarra
Senior Scientist
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
MC
Mucha Chikwira
Finance Site Coordinator
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Dr Leone Walters
Researcher
University of Pretoria
Mareme Thiam
Data Analyst
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
RC
Radhi Chikwereti
Finance Site Coordinator
Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium
Mohamed Djiba
Finance Site Coordinator
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
Dr Oumaima Laraj
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
QL
Quentin Lacour
Project Officer / MEAL Site Coordinator / Communications Site Coordinator
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
Dr David Khaoya
Health Economist
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
Charmaine Galante
Finance Site Coordinator
University of Pretoria
Annie Njanja
MEAL & Comms Site Coordinator
Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis
Lumka Zantsi
MEAL Site Coordinator
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa