Ayanda Mbuli says her greatest achievement is having the resilience and strength to obtain her medical degree, despite having missed a large part of her studies because of an illness that nearly killed her. Although she was told it was impossible, she managed to catch up and graduate with her peers.
Ayanda, who is the general manager at Afrocentric Group, says her job involves leading the client relationship team responsible for the management of all medical scheme-managed care portfolios and providing strategic direction in respect of managed care-related matters. She also builds relationships with key client representatives as well as external and internal stakeholders to ensure all scheme-related matters are dealt with effectively.
Ayanda is also a director at the Pharmaceutical & Technology Clinical Management Association, an NPO that facilitates evidence-based practice for optimal patient care and access to medicine and technology by providing healthcare education. She wants to be a part of healing the system to create access to equitable, affordable and quality healthcare for all South Africans.
Ayanda and her sister are working with doctors, researchers and storytellers on a TV series that will help debunk inaccurate perceptions of medical conditions that lead to people being stigmatised.
The name of the organisation at which you work
Afrocentric Group
Your educational background, listing your qualifications and institutions, if any:
- MBChB, Stellenbosch University
- PGDip Health Economics, University of Cape Town
- PGDip Business Administration and General Management
- Director and executive committee member for Pharmaceutical &Technology Clinical Management Association (PTCMA)
Your greatest achievement
During my final year, I contracted bacterial meningitis which resulted in being in hospital for weeks and being transferred from Cape Town to a hospital in Johannesburg when my condition was not improving. When I eventually did heal, I was told I had missed too much and would not be able to graduate with my peers. But I did what others thought impossible: I wrote my finals, passed and graduated with them. While I have had successes in my career, this is the achievement I always reflect on when I need the strength to get through life’s challenges.