Dr Munhenga, Givemore

Dr Givemore Munhenga is an NRF rated scientist with over ten years experience providing expertise and research in agriculture and public health. He is experienced in malaria vectors ecology and behaviour regarding malaria transmission, has solid knowledge in insect taxonomy, insect colony establishment and maintenance, molecular techniques and insecticide resistance monitoring. Munhenga is employed as a Principal Medical Scientist at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and holds a joint appointment as a Senior Researcher within the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology at the University of Witwatersrand.
Munhenga’s research interests include understanding interactions between ecological forces, such as exposure to insecticides that lead to behavioural modification in malaria vectors and subsequent changes in habitat colonisation. The ultimate objective is to use this knowledge to develop new techniques to complement existing malaria interventions.
Main projects:
1) Development of the SIT for Anopheles arabiensis control in South Africa.
2) Evaluation and optimisation of mosquito surveillance systems under low malaria transmission settings
3) Genetic structuring in the primary malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis and implication on vector control in South Africa.
4) Development of an Anopheles arabiensis sex separation strain for the South African Sterile Insect Technique programme
5) Investigating New Models for Community Engagement during vector control methods that involve the release of laboratory-reared mosquito releases.
6) Exploring the potential of geospatial tools to understand Anopheles arabiensis population dynamics in KZN