Salome Maswime
{{short description|South African clinician and health expert}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Salome Tumishang Maswime
| image = Salome Maswime on Next Einstein Forum.jpg
| caption = Maswime in 2020
| workplaces = University of Cape Town
University of the Witwatersrand
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
| alma_mater = University of KwaZulu-Natal
University of the Witwatersrand
| thesis_title = Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality from caesarean section-related haemorrhage in Southern Gauteng
| thesis_url = http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10539/23162/Final%20PHD%20%282%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
| children =
}}
Salome Maswime is a South African clinician and global health expert. She is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and the Head of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrc.ac.za/news/samrc-funding-impacts-young-scientist%E2%80%99s-success-journey|title=SAMRC funding impacts on young scientist's success journey|last=administrator|date=2019-08-05|website=South African Medical Research Council|language=en|access-date=2019-10-03}}{{Cite journal|last=Lane|first=Richard|date=2020-07-04|title=Salome Maswime: dynamic leader in global surgery|journal=The Lancet|language=English|volume=396|issue=10243|pages=17|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31448-3|issn=0140-6736|pmid=32622386|pmc=7332270 }} She advocates for women's health rights, equity in surgical and maternal care, and providing adequate health services to remote and underserved populations.{{Cite web|title=20 Under 40: Young Shapers of the Future (Health and Medicine) {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/list/20-under-40-young-shapers-of-the-future-health-and-medicine|access-date=2022-01-07|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}} She advises and consults for many institutions, including the World Health Organization.{{Cite web|title=A/Prof Salome Maswime {{!}} Global Surgery|url=http://www.globalsurgery.uct.ac.za/aprof-salome-maswime|access-date=2022-01-07|website=www.globalsurgery.uct.ac.za|language=en}} In 2017, she was honored with the Trailblazer and Young Achiever Award. She is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.{{Cite web |title=Members – ASSAf |url=https://www.assaf.org.za/members-directory/ |access-date=2022-08-17 |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Salome Maswime is from Limpopo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/health-news/2017/witsie-is-honoured-as-young-trailblazer-and-achiever.html|title=2017 - Witsie is honoured as Young Trailblazer and Achiever - Wits University|last=Johannesburg|first=The University of the Witwatersrand|website=www.wits.ac.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} Her father was a theology professor at the University of Venda. She graduated in medicine from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2005.{{Cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/profiles/salome-maswime-357685|title=Salome Maswime|website=The Conversation|date=6 April 2017 |access-date=2018-08-16}} During her medical internship, she saw two mothers die in a maternity ward in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal.{{Cite web|url=http://ysa.mg.co.za/2017/dr-salome-maswime/|title=Dr Salome Maswime – 2017|website=ysa.mg.co.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} This experience inspired her to train as a specialist obstetrician and gynecologist, as she feared she would "remain part of the problem that was leading to many preventable and unjust maternal deaths."
Maswime spent a decade at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesberg and at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto. During this time, she realized she wanted to continue her formal education to understand the underlying causes of negative outcomes for mothers and neonates in childbirth.
She secured a PhD position supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the South African Medical Research Council that allowed her to find ways to improve the lives of mothers and infants. She completed her Masters and PhD theses at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she looked to reduce maternal morbidity from caesarean section related haemorrhage across 15 hospitals in Gauteng.{{Cite journal|last1=Maswime|first1=Salome|last2=Buchmann|first2=Eckhart|date=2017-01-24|title=A systematic review of maternal near miss and mortality due to postpartum hemorrhage|journal=International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics|volume=137|issue=1|pages=1–7|doi=10.1002/ijgo.12096|pmid=28099749|s2cid=3253550 |issn=0020-7292}}
Career
Maswime is an executive member of the South African Perioperative Research Group.{{Cite web|url=http://www.saporg.co.za/news|title=South African Perioperative Research Group - News|website=www.saporg.co.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} She is a member of the International Network of Obstetric Survey Systems. She was a lecturer and Director of the University of the Witwatersrand Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Research Division and an obstetrician at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Academic Hospital.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.za/speeches/media-briefing-newly-appointed-nyda-board-25-may-2017-0000|title=Media briefing on newly appointed NYDA board {{!}} South African Government|website=www.gov.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} She works with women with high risk pregnancies.{{Cite news|url=http://mustardseedcareers.co.za/career_profiles/salome-maswime/|title=Salome Maswime -|access-date=2018-08-16}} Her research considers maternal near miss and mortality.{{Cite journal|last1=Maswime|first1=Salome|last2=Buchmann|first2=Eckhart|date=September 2016|title=Causes and avoidable factors in maternal death due to cesarean-related hemorrhage in South Africa|journal=International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics|volume=134|issue=3|pages=320–323|doi=10.1016/j.ijgo.2016.03.013|pmid=27352737|issn=0020-7292|doi-access=free}} She found that maternal deaths from bleeding during caesarean sections have increased in South Africa.{{Cite journal|last1=Maswime|first1=S.|last2=Buchmann|first2=E. J.|date=2017-01-09|title=Why women bleed and how they are saved: a cross-sectional study of caesarean section near-miss morbidity|journal=BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth|volume=17|issue=1|pages=15|doi=10.1186/s12884-016-1182-7|pmid=28068945|pmc=5223297|issn=1471-2393 |doi-access=free }} She compared the preparedness of hospitals for surgical complications in caesarean sections in southern Gauteng.
Maswime discovered that Africa accounts for 200,000 maternal deaths per year; which is two thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide. In 2017, she was named by the Mail & Guardian as one of the Top 200 South Africans.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2017/2017-07/witsies-recognised-in-mgs-200-young-south-africans-2017.html|title=2017-07 - Witsies recognised in M&G's 200 Young South Africans 2017 - Wits University|last=Johannesburg|first=The University of the Witwatersrand|website=www.wits.ac.za|access-date=2018-08-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://bhekisisa.org/article/2017-08-11-00-black-experts-in-the-health-sector-where-are-they|title=Black experts in the health sector: Where are they?|last=Pilane|first=Pontsho|website=Bhekisisa|access-date=2018-08-16|date=2017-08-11}} She has written for The Conversation about increasing the number of caesarean sections in Africa.{{Cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/Columnists/GuestColumn/african-women-need-access-to-caesars-20170421|title=African women need access to Caesars|work=News24|access-date=2018-08-16}} She won the Trailblazer and Young Achiever Award from Jacob Zuma in 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rnews.co.za/article/14994/president-jacob-zuma-national-youth-day-commemoration-2017-speech|title=President Jacob Zuma: National Youth Day Commemoration 2017 speech|access-date=2018-08-16}}
In 2018, she launched the South African Clinician Scientists Society, a collegial group for emerging specialists and researchers returning from training abroad that facilitates mentorship, networking, and multidisciplinary research.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukzn.ac.za/news/high-flying-ukzn-alumnus-forms-clinician-scientists-society/|title=High Flying UKZN Alumnus Forms Clinician Scientists Society|last=|first=|date=|website=UKZN|access-date=2018-08-14}}{{Cite journal|last1=Maswime|first1=Salome|last2=Masukume|first2=Gwinyai|last3=Chandiwana|first3=Nomathemba|date=November 21, 2018|title=African clinician scientists — mentors and networks help|journal=Nature|volume=563|issue=7732|pages=473|doi=10.1038/d41586-018-07455-1|pmid=30464272 |bibcode=2018Natur.563..473M |s2cid=53717311 |doi-access=free}} She was awarded a Discovery Foundation Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital Fellowship in 2018.{{Citation|last=DiscoverySA|title=Dr Salome Maswime is determined that no mother should lose her baby at birth|date=2018-08-01|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOFYOmrWMrg|access-date=2018-08-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumni-news/2018/alumni-in-the-news-july-2018-.html|title=2018 - Alumni in the news July 2018 - Wits University|last=Johannesburg|first=The University of the Witwatersrand|website=www.wits.ac.za|access-date=2018-08-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discovery.co.za/corporate/health-salome-no-mother-should-lose-a-baby|title=Dr Maswime believes no mother should lose her baby {{!}} Health - Discovery|website=www.discovery.co.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} Her fellowship allows her to research the causes of stillbirths in HIV-positive people.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discovery.co.za/corporate/health-salome-wins-foundation-mgh-fellowship-award|title=Dr Maswime wins Foundation MGH Fellowship Award {{!}} Health - Discovery|website=www.discovery.co.za|access-date=2018-08-16}} The fellowship is worth R2.1 million. During her postdoctoral year, Maswime found herself one of only two people at meetings at the World Health Organization or UNICEF. She also worked on her approach to mental health as it relates to mothers and children. She has two children, Taurai (12), Farai (8).
In 2019 she was appointed as a Professor of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town. In 2020, she was announced as one of the World Economic Forum's Class of 2020 Young Scientists, a group of 25 notable researchers who are "at the forefront of scientific discovery."{{Cite web|title=These 25 scientists are tackling the most important global challenges|url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/science-leads-the-response-to-covid19-these-25-scientists-are-tackling-the-other-global-challenges/|website=World Economic Forum|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}}
References
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Category:South African obstetricians
Category:21st-century South African physicians
Category:South African women physicians
Category:South African women academics
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century women physicians
Category:South African gynaecologists
Category:University of KwaZulu-Natal alumni