Musawenkosi Ncube is a Project Manager at Wits VIDA, where he leads the Paediatrics and Neonatal Surveillance (PNS) team. His research focuses on invasive bacterial pathogens, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Group B Streptococcus, as well as viral infections, with a particular focus on respiratory pathogen surveillance, including Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. He is passionate about developing therapeutic strategies to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and advancing public health strategies through data-driven prevention and treatment interventions. 

Musawenkosi is a Clinical Pharmacologist and holds a BSc (Hons) and MSc in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Pretoria. He is an active member of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP) and the Toxicological Society of South Africa (TOXSA). His master’s research focused on the risk of prescribing cascades, polypharmacy and drug duplication among comorbid patients – a vulnerable population to irrational prescribing. His background spans both clinical and research components, with a focus on regulatory affairs, project management, drug development and the optimisation of pharmacotherapy in vulnerable populations, particularly children and individuals living with comorbidities. 

His previous roles have included research coordinator at Wits VIDA, researcher for the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics Committee and regulatory affairs officer at Adcock Ingram. He has extensive experience in observational studies, including analyses of prescribing patterns, and both passive and active surveillance of childhood morbidity and mortality across multiple sentinel sites. He has coordinated and supported the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Eswatini and contributed to vaccine effectiveness studies in both Eswatini and South Africa, utilising a diverse range of clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory-based research techniques. His work has encompassed COVID-19 surveillance across maternity, paediatric, and adult populations, with a focus on vaccine-related adverse event monitoring and directly reporting to the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Additionally, he has contributed to multi-platform community engagement campaigns (including mobile activations, social and traditional media) to combat vaccine hesitancy and promote vaccine uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic.