Highly motivated, team-oriented and compassionate Board-Certified Pediatrician with special qualification in Pediatric Neurology. Trained in neuromuscular disorders with more than 15 years of direct outpatient and inpatient (including intensive care) primary neurology and neurorehabilitation care experience. Expertise in EMG/NCS , muscle biopsies and Botulinum toxin therapies, Special interests in rare genetic/ metabolic movement and neuromuscular disorders and dedication to comprehensive patient management in general neurology. Academic background with contributions as a medical school lecturer and Board examiner for Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology for the College of Medicine of South Africa, past Pediatric Resident program coordinator, Pediatric Neurology Fellowship academic meeting coordinator and medical student site coordinator. Supervised and mentored postgraduate students and research fellows. Passionate about community outreach projects which include Muscular Dystrophy Foundation (SA) and Operation Smile for which national and international acknowledgment was awarded.
Developing a neuromuscular unit with the following clinics:
Inpatient ward rounds and on call cover for OMC and Baptist NICU
UQ didactic lectures for residents and medical students and examiner for medical students
Presented at Pediatric Symposium, 20 July 2024
Strategic planning
May 2003– 2023: Senior specialist Pediatrician and Pediatrics Neurologist, Neuromuscular
2007- 2023: until resignation in 2023
2005 May: Promoted to Senior Specialist
2003- April 2005, Junior Pediatric Specialist in a JME post
Recommenced Pediatric Neurology training from 2003 to 2006
Responsibilities:
Clinical
general pediatric neurology and neuromuscular service delivery for the KZN province (Population > 10million), based purely on referral from a regional or tertiary Hospital
Neurology Outpatient clinics service surrounding hospitals
Neurology procedures and specialized tests: muscle biopsy, Botox in CP, neurophysiology- NCS/EMG
Inpatient Care:
Outreach:
Academic activities
Postgraduate Academic activities
College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) board Examiner and Convenor for Fellowship in Pediatrics (FCPaeds), Certification in Pediatric Neurology and Diploma in Child Health. This is a centrally controlled process by the College of Medicine of South Africa in which examiners are selected on merit across the country. Examiners must submit questions for the written and OSCE exams and take candidates for the oral clinical component. The convenor is nominated by the examination board and responsible for selecting the panel of examiners/ moderators, the questions and oral cases and co-ordinate the exam at the examination site.
Coordinator of Academic Neurology Resident and Fellowship weekly meetings/conference at IALCH, UKZN since 2008-2023
Tutor for Paediatric registrar/ resident and Fellows including bedside tutorials, academic ward rounds since 2003
Neuromuscular training including muscle biopsies, neurophysiology, clinical inpatient/outpatient teaching and resident lectures
Certification Exam preparation with Mock Exams, Board certification Tutorials since 2000-2023
UKZN Department of Paediatrics Academic meeting/ conference presentations
Undergraduate academic activities
Invited as an ExternalUniversity Examiner and Moderator in Final year Medical Student Paediatric Exams
Medical Intern orientation program-Paediatric Neurology emergencies tutor 2003- 2014
UKZN Medical Student Paediatric Coordinator
3rd year Medical Student co-coordinator in 2005 to 2009
4th year Medical Student IALCH site coordinator 2022-2023
Medical School Student Lecture Development for the Problem -based Curriculum
Academic teaching- 4th and 6th year medical students:
Administration
IALCH Paediatric Department Call Roster coordinator
2003- 2018
Department of Paediatric Executive Council (EXECO) - NR Mandela School of Medicine (2008 -2009)
UKZN Paediatric Department of Resident Program Coordinator from 2005 to 2009.
KZN Provincial Registrar/resident Program Committee (Natalia) member: 2005-2009
Medicolegal Expert in Paediatric neurology for state hospital malpractice defense in the KZN province
General Paediatrician with training in Paediatric neurology in a provincial hospital, Oosterscheldeziekenhuizen, Zeeland
2000 - March 2002: Consultant/Specialist, Department of Paediatrics, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal /
· 1996 Jan -1999: Dec Paediatric Registrar, Department of Paediatrics, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal / KEH
· 1995 Jan -Dec: Medical Officer (Junior and Senior), Department of Paediatrics, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal / KEH
· I994 Jan – Dec, Internship at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa
2007- 2023: Limited Private Practice, Umhlanga Netcare Medical Centre, Suite 301, 323 Umhlanga Rocks Drive, Umhlanga, Durban, KZN, 4319
EMG/ NCS
Botulinum Toxin
Muscle biopsies
Comprehensive Neuromuscular care:
Comprehensive Chronic Dystonia and Tic Management
Epilepsy and Electro-encephalogram
Lumbar puncture
Active license: Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) previously known as South African Medical and Dental Council (SAMDC) - 1994 to present
Nederland Big-Register (Professional Medical board) 01/08/2002 TO 01/08/2004 Reg No. 29058187701
Active physician's license in LSBME: License # 333535
Paediatric Neurology Fellowship / Resident Academic meeting and conference coordinator, UKZN, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine/ IALCH
Paediatric Resident Academic program coordinator, UKZN, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine
Paediatric Department Registrar (Resident) Representative, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, UKZN - 1998 / 1999
Medical Students Council (MSC) Secretary, UNITRA - 1989/1990
Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa (MDFSA) – Elected by members for several years at the Annual General Meetings
Operation Smile South Africa Medical Council member (OSSA):
International Opsmile Paediatrician of the Year Award – 2008 AAP Conference, Boston
Opsmile African Paediatrician of the Year Award, 2015
Opsmile Woman of Worth Award, OSSA 10-year celebration, Cape Town, 25 November 2016
Women in Medicine Mission, Malawi 2020:
Specialty Related Training
2019 Sept: CIME Diploma, ABIME (American Board of Independent Examiners) Sept 2018
2016 Feb: Certified PET 1 trainer (Paediatric Epilepsy Training) Feb 2016, BPNA (British Paediatric Neurology Association, United Kingdom)
2013 Feb: Certification Masterclass in the Anatomy of Ultrasound Guided Intramuscular Injection, Liverpool Medical Institution, Royal Liverpool University, England, United Kingdom.
2013 September Certification in Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM66) training, University of Freiburg, Germany
2011 to 2012, International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)
2010 - 2011 May 22, International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)
2011 May, 29th International Epilepsy Congress Rome, Italy -Delegate, ILAE ALumni
AAN 64thAnnual Meeting, April 2012, New Orleans, USA - delegate
Other Skills Training
Emergency Training:
2011Citi Research Course (LSU, New Orleans, USA): 3 August
2005 October: Griffith’s Developmental Course – Wits University, Johannesburg, SA, Prof Lorna Jacklin
2003 May Neurophysiology Course- Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa- Prof Jo Wilmhurst
2005 Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Research Course, Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, UKZN, Sept 2005 to current
Conference and Meeting Presentations:
International Presentations
2024 May, Poster Presentation acceptance. (Could not attend due to work)
2020: Sanofi Genzyme International and China NGS Advisory Board May 2020
2016 July, 14th ICNMD Conference in Toronto, Accepted abstract for Poster Presentation: Case Report of unusual Distal Arthrogryposis
2016 May, ICNC (International Child Neurology Congress), Amsterdam. Accepted abstract for poster Presentation: Auto-immune Encephalitis in Children
2014, ICNMD (International Conference on neuromuscular Disorders) Nice France Poster Presentations:
National Conference Presentation
2023 May, PANDASA(Paediatric Neurology and Developmental Association of South Africa) conference
2023 Feb, Southern African Neuroscience Symposium, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa
2022 May, South African Rheumatology and arthritis Association, Saraa
2019, Annual Paediatric Neurology Conference, Durban, SA:
2019 Genzyme Scientific forum, South Africa,
2019 June , 7th South African Immunology Society (SAIS) Conference
2018 Psychiatry Congress UKZN: 28 Aug 2018:
2016 SAPA (South African Paediatric Association) Congress 2016, Elangeni, Durban,
2015 Paediatric Neurology Symposium, Coastlands Conference, South africa
2013 Annual Paediatric Neurology Congress:
2011 May 7th, Paediatric Neurology Symposium, University of KZN, Durban
2007 Nov, PANDASA HIV Conference, Johannesburg, SA
2005 June, Annual Paediatric Update Symposium, Durban, SA
2003: Annual Paediatric Update Symposium, Department of Paediatrics, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, Durban- June 2003
Opsmile International and OSSA
Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA) Council Member:
International Operation Smile volunteer since 2006
Medical Missions: South African inaugural mission in Ngwelezane (September 2006), Madagascar ( Nov 2007), Swaziland ( March 2008), Madagascar (May 2008), Eastern Cape- Mt Frere (August 2008), Madagascar (Nov 2008), Bolivia March (2009), Congo March (2009), Nelspruit, SA Aug (2009), Rajasthan, India September (2009), Madagascar Oct (2009), Vietnam 20 Years of Smiles- A Journey of Miracles’20th anniversary November (2009), Rwanda, March (2010), Madagascar September (2010), Democratic Republic of Congo June (2011), Madagascar Aug (2012), Mbombela, SA August (2013), Maputo, Mozambique Italian Naval ship mission Jan (2014), Lilongwe, Malawi Aug (2015), Nelspruit 27 Sept – OSSA 10 year anniversary(2016), Madagascar mission Nov (2017), Mbombela, SA mission Jan/Feb (2019) , Witbank, SA Mission March (2020), Lilongwe-Women of Worth mission, Malawi Sep 2022, May and October 2024 invitation declined due work
Muscular Dystrophy Foundation South Africa (MDFSA) – National EXECO member
Redcross Medical Volunteer
Ongoing Research Projects
MMED- Supervisor for Paediatric Neurology Fellows’ Research
Publications:
2022 March, HIV Medicine Journal
2011: July to October Research Collaboration with Prof A H Tilton, New Orleans: Children’s hospital/LSU
Jan 2007, Journal Neuroscience: as stated in Neuromuscular training
2005, South African Paediatric Review Journal
Active license: Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) previously known as South African Medical and Dental Council (SAMDC) - 1994 to present
Nederland Big-Register (Professional Medical board) 01/08/2002 TO 01/08/2004 Reg No. 29058187701
Active physician's license in LSBME: License # 333535