Welcoming Professor Maswime to the Lifebox Board

Lifebox welcomes obstetrician and gynecologist, Professor Salome Maswime, to its Global Governance Council

We are excited to announce the appointment of Professor Salome Maswime to our Global Governance Council. Professor Maswime is a Professor and Head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town, and an obstetrician and gynecologist.

Professor Maswime is recognized as a global surgery expert, with extensive research in maternal health, particularly reducing maternal morbidity from cesarean sections. Professor Maswime has served as a member of the Advisory Group to Lifebox’s research trial – CLEAN-CS – which aims to reduce rates of surgical infection following cesarean section and other obstetric procedures.

"I firmly believe that everyone deserves access to safe and timely comprehensive surgical care. Lifebox focuses on the quality of surgery, driving evidence-based safer surgery programs. I am enormously proud to become part of this work as a Global Governance Council member."

Professor Salome Maswime

Watch Professor Maswime's Tedx Talk on Global Surgery - a drive to improve access to surgery in Africa below.

"We are ecstatic to welcome Professor Salome Maswime to Lifebox. Professor Maswime is a global leader in safer surgery and an advocate for equity in maternal and surgical care. We look forward to drawing upon her expertise and leadership as Lifebox continues its work improving surgical safety worldwide."

Kris Torgeson, Lifebox Global CEO

Salome Maswime is a Full Professor and the Head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town; and an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. She is a World Economic Forum Young Scientist; a member of the Academy of Science South Africa, and a Next Einstein Fellow. She is the vice-President of the Women in Global Health South Africa; and President of the South African Clinician Scientists Society, and board member and research chair of the Health Systems Trust in South Africa. After specialising she completed her MMED and PHD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She did a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She is a section editor of the Plos Global Public Health Journal. She has served in many international committees and boards, as a technical expert and as an advisor, including the Advisory Group of CLEAN-CS – Lifebox’s research study to reduce surgical infections following cesarean delivery. She has received numerous awards for her research contribution to maternal health, including the trailblazer and young achiever award by the President of South Africa in 2017 and in 2021 was named among 20 Young Shapers of the Future in Health and Medicine by Encyclopedia Brittanica.