Tawonga Mwase-Vuma has a clinical background having studied nursing and midwifery at Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences in Mzimba (Malawi). He went on to study for his Bachelor’s degree in Public Health at the University of Livingstonia in Rumphi (Malawi), then for his Master’s degree in Public Health at The University of Nottingham in the UK. After completing his Master’s degree in the UK, he returned to Malawi and briefly worked with ShareWORLD Open University (Malawi) as a Lecturer before joining the University of Malawi in July 2018, where he works as a Research Fellow based at the Centre for Social Research (CSR). Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at the University of Strathclyde (UK).

Teaching and Learning

Tawonga Mwase-Vuma taught the Epidemiology and the Health Systems modules for undergraduate students at ShareWORLD Open University (Malawi). He has also taught undergraduate students in the social work program at the University of Malawi (then Chancellor College).

Research

Tawonga Mwase-Vuma’s research mainly focuses on public health, but he has also been involved in gender and disability studies. He has designed, supported, and led implementation of various research and consultancy projects in Malawi involving both local and international collaborators, including the Ministry of Health, UNICEF Malawi, Plan International Malawi, Data for Impact (at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), USAID/Malawi, Johns Hopkins University, University of Wollongong, University of Strathclyde, University of Ottawa, and Durham University. He is currently researching on the levels of 24-hour movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep) in early childhood in Malawi.

Expertise

Tawonga Mwase-Vuma boasts expertise in public health, epidemiology, (bio)statistics, health systems, quantitative data analysis (using Stata), qualitative data analysis (supported by NVivo and Dedoose), and measurement of physical activity in early years.

PROJECTS

1. Movement behaviours in early childhood in Malawi: the SUNRISE Malawi study, 2021–2023. (PhD project)

2. Knowledge, attitudes and practices study of COVID-19 vaccines in Malawi. 2021. Role: Co-Investigator.

3. Malawi SEED Impact Evaluation Baseline, 2021–2022. (Role: Co-Investigator)

4. Political economy analysis (PEA) of sub-national health management in Eastern and Southern Africa, 2020–2021. (Role: Researcher)

5. Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) – Qualitative Study, 2020. Role: Researcher

6. Pesticide Regulation and Public Health in Malawi, 2020. Role: Researcher

7. Changing Urban Dietary Cultures, Agricultural Transitions and the Challenges of Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in Kenya and Malawi – (2019-2021). Role: Researcher

8. Impact Evaluation of Irrigation Development in Malawi, 2019. Role: Co-Investigator

9. Innovating mHealth in Africa through Grassroots Initiatives and Networks, 2018–2019. Role: Junior Statistician.

PUBLICATIONS

1. Okely, A. D., Reilly, J. J., Tremblay, M. S., Kariippanon, K. E., Draper, C. E., el Hamdouchi, A., Florindo, A. A., Green, J. P., Guan, H., Katzmarzyk, P. T., Lubree, H., Pham, B. N., Suesse, T., Willumsen, J., Basheer, M., Calleia, R., Chong, K. H., Cross, P. L., … Mwase-Vuma, T., … Widyastari, D. A. (2021). Cross-sectional examination of 24-hour movement behaviours among 3- and 4-year-old children in urban and rural settings in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: the SUNRISE study protocol. BMJ Open, 11(10), e049267. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049267

2. Hampshire K, Mwase-Vuma T, Alemu K, et al. Informal mhealth at scale in Africa: Opportunities and challenges. World Dev. 2021;140:105257. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105257

REPORTS

1. Rodríguez DC, Chamdimba E, Kafumba J, Koon A, Mazalale J, Dadirai Mkombe, Munthali A, Munywoki J, Mwase-Vuma T, Namakula J, Nsabagasani X,

Neel A, Paina L, Ssengooba F, Tsofa B, Tsoka M, & Waweru E. (2022). Political economy analysis of sub-national health management in Eastern and Southern Africa.

2. Thakwalakwa C, Mwase-Vuma T, Gondwe A, Mchenga C, & Munthali AC. (2022). A knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) study of COVID-19 vaccines in Malawi.

3. Munthali, AC, Kafumba J, Tsoka M, Mazalale J, Chamdimba E, Mwase-Vuma T, & Rodriguez D. (2021). Political Economy Analysis of Sub-National Health Management in Eastern and Southern Africa: Malawi Country Report.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

1. Mwase-Vuma TW, Chamdimba E, Munthali AC, Kasim A, & Hamphshire K. Costs of community health workers’ ‘informal’ phone use to support healthcare service delivery in Malawi. 4th annual Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference (AfIHC). 22nd to 24th September 2021, Kigali, Rwanda (Online oral presentation)

2. Mwase-Vuma TW, Janssen X, & Reilly JJ. Validity of parent-reported level of physical activity among preschool children against accelerometry in 13 countries: evidence from the SUNRISE study. Children’s physical activity – a research area more crucial than ever! 25th August 2021, Odense, Denmark. (Online poster presentation)

3. Mwase-Vuma TW, Chamdimba E, Munthali AC, Robson E, Kasim A, & Hamphshire K. Financial costs of community health workers’ ‘informal’ phone use to support primary healthcare service delivery in Malawi. The 3rd National Research Dissemination Conference. 18th to 20th November 2020, Sunbird Nkopola Lodge, Mangochi. (Oral Presentation)

4. Mwase-Vuma TW, Chamdimba E, Munthali AC, Robson E, Kasim A, & Hamphshire K. Cost of ‘informal’ mobile phone use by community health workers to support primary healthcare service delivery in Malawi. 23rd College of Medicine Research Dissemination Conference. 7^th – 8^th November 2019. Blantyre, Malawi. (Oral Presentation)

5. Munthali AC, Hampshire K, Chamdimba E, Robson E, Mwase-Vuma TW. The use of mobile phones among community health workers: a case study of health surveillance assistants in Malawi. ECAS2019. June 11-14, 2019. Edinburgh, Scotland.