Gavin George

Dr George is an economist and behavioural scientist specialising in health systems research. His research skills include quantitative and qualitative methods, including evaluation design and analysis. He is the Programme leader of the Health Systems Strengthening Programme. Dr George has undertaken work on a number of projects in the field of health systems strengthening and specifically HIV and AIDS on economic, psycho-social and behavioural issues on behalf of UN agencies (UNAIDS, UNICEF, ILO, World Bank); Governments (South African, European Union, Swaziland, Botswana and the U.S), funders (Swedish SIDA, IrishAID, RNE, DfID, GFATM) as well as big business (SABCOHA, De Beers, AngloAmerican, SAB, Goldfields, Eskom).

Dr George currently a Programme Leader at the Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Dr George has published extensively in the field of health systems strengthening and specifically HIV and AIDS on economic, psycho-social and behavioural issues. This work has been drawn from projects on behalf of UN agencies (UNAIDS, UNICEF, ILO, IOM, UNFPA, UNDP and World Bank); Governments (South African, European Union, Swaziland, Botswana and the U.S), funders (Swedish SIDA, IrishAID, RNE, DfID, GFATM, USAID, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Merck Foundation and the CDC) as well as big business (SABCOHA, De Beers, AngloAmerican, SAB, Goldfields, Eskom). Dr George has undertaken large-scale evaluation research, including evaluation of the PEPFAR DREAMS initiative in South Africa and the evaluation of social and behavioural interventions targeting key and at risk populations in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Uganda, Eswatini and Kenya.
With funding from USAID, Dr George led a team in the development of the South African Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) Strategy on HIV/AIDS, STIs & TB in Schools (2012-2016). He continues to provide technical and research support to the DBE including advising on the department’s National HIV and AIDS Policy, developing a Learner Pregnancy Policy and developing Protocols on the Reporting of Sexual Abuse and Harassment. In 2014, Dr George was part of a consortium awarded a USAID grant to assist the DBE in the implementation of evidence-informed sexuality and HIV prevention education programs. The project’s activities are specifically designed to strengthen, link and consolidate South African Government’s (SAG) efforts to link education sector initiatives and health sector initiatives that share a common purpose: a reduction in the incidence of new HIV and TB infections among young people and improved linkages to HIV care and SRH services for learners.