In pursuit of Excellence in health sector

Tshepo Maphanyane
HARDWORKING: Mosweu

Tenacious and hardworking, Iris Penny Mosweu is a Motswana scholar making a mark in the United Kingdom.

A Research Associate at King’s College – one of UK’s highly ranked institutions and a Fellow in the Department of Health Policy at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science, Mosweu is working on the cost effectiveness of interventions within randomized controlled trials and the use of decision modeling in HIV, cardiology, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and mental health.

As a firm believer that the most singular urgent need for any society to thrive is strong and healthy communities, Mosweu is excited about eventually coming back to Botswana to share her knowledge with the whole continent of Africa.

She says, “My interest extends to applying health economics methods in Health Economics methods in low and middle income countries and to support this I have published a book chapter and I am currently working on a systematic review assessing evidence of health economics in Africa.”

As a seminar leader in the Health Policy department at LSE, her role entails teaching various modules that include; Health Economics, Financing Health Care, Statistical methods in Health Care Economic Evaluation, Economic Analysis for Health Policy in Low – and Middle –Income countries, Cost effectiveness in Health Care, Resource Allocation and Cost effectiveness Analysis and Economics of the Pharmaceutical Sector.

“Investment in health and wellness will certainly yield results in all sectors of any economy. It is not just about attending to people’s needs but also ensuring policies and systems are in place to address various challenges.”

Driven by her pursuit of excellence in the health sector, Mosweu is also a final PHD student with her research examining the economic impact of late uptake and non – adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV patients in England.

Her PhD work is primarily based on an NIHR funded program evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an engagement support intervention for HIV patients initiating ART.

The health economics component of the program is a trial-based economic evaluation, augmented by a Markov model to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of this complex intervention
Although she admits it is overwhelming juggling all her responsibilities, Mosweu never backs down from an opportunity to collaborate and add value to others in academic pursuit or social context.

DETERMINED: Mosweu

Her convivial spirit towards her fellow countrymen and women arriving in the UK, especially London where she is based has earned her the nickname, “Welcoming Committee,” which she has graciously accepted.

“Relocation is not for the faint hearted and those that prefer their comfort zones. Making a transition can be daunting. There is so much that is different. Hence a little kindness goes a long way in ensuring others have a better time,” she says with a smile.

She started her career with the Ministry of Health in Botswana in 2000 where her research included evaluating the health financing system and assessing national health accounts.

In 2005 she joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a Project Associate responsible for monitoring and evaluation of programs in Botswana.

In 2007 she moved to the UK to study for her MSc, and subsequently joined King’s College in 2008, bidding it farewell not too long ago to join the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) which is ranked 2nd in the world for social sciences and management and regarded as an international centre of academic excellence.

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