Zamokuhle Magagula was born in one of the most remote and underprivileged communities in Eswatini. She graduated with a diploma in general nursing and midwifery science in 2000 after which she worked for the Swaziland Nazarene Health Institutions as a community health nurse, where she developed a strong passion for child health. She enrolled for a degree in nursing science in South Africa where she graduated in 2016. She joined the Ministry of Health Eswatini, working as a nurse midwife at Mbabane Government National Referral Hospital in 2010 and later moved to the cancer control unit in 2021.
Her personal motivation for this course is derived from her experience in working with sick children. She has realised that childhood cancers are among the unpopular diseases due to lack of knowledge among health care workers, families, and communities. She has seen some children suffering and dying from late presentation, misdiagnosis, and mismanagement. She strongly believes that this opportunity will improve the health of many children in the country.
Magagula is currently the childhood cancer officer at the Eswatini National Cancer Control Unit. Together with the cancer unit team, Magagula is currently working on a study titled “Assessment of healthcare workers’ knowledge and practices on the Early Warning Signs of childhood cancer: A study in preparation for a nationwide training of health care workers.” She intends undertaking a thesis on assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the community on childhood cancers or a study on survival rates of children with leukaemia in Eswatini.
“When I saw the St. Jude publication on the Master’s in Global Child Health program, I realized that the breakthrough for my country had emerged since the content of this course is exactly what the country needs at this time as it is faced with numerous childhood cancer challenges. Such innovative expertise is scarce in the cancer program yet it is critical and urgently needed to lead and manage the childhood cancer unit. As a childhood cancer focal person in the Eswatini National Cancer Control Program, I believes this program has come at the perfect time in my career because it will provide me with the skills and expertise needed as a change agent to manage and lead the program. International partnerships and collaboration with people from different backgrounds will assist in embedding my leadership skills to improve childhood cancer services.”
Hometown: Mbabane, Eswatini
Education:
BA, Nursing Science – University of South Africa
Diploma in Midwifery Science - Southern Africa Nazarene University
Diploma in General Nursing - Southern Africa Nazarene University