Dr Muhammad Osman

Dr Muhammad Osman MBChB, PG Dip Health Management, MSc Epidemiology, PhD

Senior Lecturer: Public Health

Key details

Dr Muhammad Osman

Senior Lecturer: Public Health


Dr Muhammad Osman trained as a clinician in South Africa and rendered clinical services at primary health care with a focus on Tuberculosis and HIV medicine for 9 years. He transitioned to Health Management and took responsibility for Primary Health Care and Environmental Health services for a designated area in the metropolitan City of Cape Town for 3 years. Muhammad completed his Post Graduate Diploma in Health Management at the University of Cape Town, MSc Epidemiology at Columbia University in New York as a Fogarty Fellow, and his PhD at Stellenbosch University as a recipient of the Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme scholarship.

Dr Osman has experience with teaching quantitative methods, epidemiology, and health management. He has a keen interest in health systems and the broader impact of leadership on health outcomes.

Posts held previously:

  • 2021-2022 Senior Researcher and Clinical Epidemiologist, Stellenbosch University
  • 2017-2021: Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme Scholarship – PhD Student
  • 2017-2021 Clinical Epidemiologist and Researcher, Stellenbosch University
  • 2014-2015: Fogarty Fellow, Columbia University Masters Student
  • 2013-2017 Health Manager, City of Cape Town
  • 2008-2013 Senior Medical Officer. City of Cape Town

Responsibilities within the university

Muhammad teaches public health and health management in the School of Human Sciences in a variety of formats. He is engaged in research and professional practice across these subject areas.

Recognition

  • Masters thesis examiner at Stellenbosch University
  • Member of Executive Committee, Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University
  • Co-chair: Working Group Data Analysis and Modelling (WGDAM), Stellenbosch University
  • Member of Scientific organising committee: 1st National Symposium on Mathematical Modelling Research to Guide Decision Making for Tuberculosis Control in South Africa
  • Member of South African TB Think Tank (Including TB treatment outcomes and Epidemiology & Modelling sub groups)
  • Member of Health Management Team, City of Cape Town District Health Services, South Africa Reviewer for multiple journals: BMC Infectious Diseases; BMC Public Health; Emerging Infectious Diseases; International Journal of Infectious Diseases; International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; Pediatrics; PLOS ONE; Public Health Action; Scientific Reports; South African Medical Journal
  • Director: Islamic Relief South Africa
  • Trustee: Islamic Relief Worldwide

Research / Scholarly interests

Tuberculosis, Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Management; Health Systems

Key funded projects

  • 04/2021–03/2023 South African MRC, Co-Principal Investigator. Epidemiological impact and intersection of the COVID-19 and tuberculosis pandemics in Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa; Co-Principal Investigator
  • 05/2018–06/2022 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Principal Investigator. Strategic Innovation Demonstration Studies: LINKEDin (reducing initial loss to follow up);
  • 2021-02/2022 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Investigator Assessment of the value proposition of new TB diagnostic tools – Epidemiological Modelling for South Africa 2018 – 2019 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the South African TB Think Tank, Principal Investigator A systematic review of risk factors for mortality among drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB patients in South Africa (2010 – 2018)
  • 2019-03/2022 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the South African TB Think Tank, Co-investigator A review of key stakeholders’ perceptions of the impediments and facilitators of the implementation of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT) in South Africa
  • 2019-2021 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the South African TB Think Tank, Co-investigator A review of patient-centred care initiatives for tuberculosis care in South Africa and beyond
  • 2017 – 2023, Unfunded, Principal Investigator Evaluating 10 years of TB Control in South Africa