Background
Tafi is a public health physician with more than 15 years of experience in public health program management and research. He has worked in low-middle income countries mainly in primary health care, public health programs (HIV/TB), and public health & clinical research. In public health HIV program, Tafi worked in the rollout and decentralisation of HIV care and treatment in remote settings in Botswana. Tafi has conducted research in adolescents living with HIV, migration and HIV prevention and control. Part of his work was instrumental in the policy shift in Botswana to a migrant inclusive free HIV care and treatment program. His research interests are in HIV, TB, hepatitis C, health systems strengthening, and implementation research especially in disadvantaged populations and in low income countries.
Appointments
- Australian HIV Cascade Reference Group, member since 2018 and focusing on migrant cascades of care.
- Alumni with the World Health Organization’s Tropical Disease Research as a Career Development Fellow.
- Adjunct Research Fellow – Monash University
- Research Associate – Botswana Harvard Partnership
Positions
- TB Specialist – Public Health, Daru, Western Project, PNG
- Research Fellow – Burnet Institute
- Volunteer Medical Officer, Independence Surgery, Gaborone, Botswana
- Research Associate, Botswana Harvard Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Consultant, I-TECH Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Clinical Intervention Technical Advisor, Botswana Combination Prevention Project (BCPP), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Botswana
- Public Health Specialist and Technical Deputy Director, Botswana Combination Prevention Project (BCPP), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Botswana
- Research Medical Officer, Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence (BBCCOE)
- Clinical Research Fellow, Astellas Pharma Global Development (APGD), USA
- Senior Medical Officer/Site Manager, Mabutsane District Health Team, Botswana
- Medical Officer, Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, Botswana
- Hospital Medical Officer, Mpilo Central Hospital, Zimbabwe
- Senior House Officer, Mpilo Central Hospital, Zimbabwe
- Junior Resident Medical Officer, Mpilo Central Hospital, Zimbabwe
Qualifications
- 2020: PhD, Monash University
- 2012 MPH, University of South Africa
- 2012: MPhil HIV Management, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
- 2010: Postgraduate Diploma HIV Management, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
- 2005: Diploma in Obstetrics, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa
- 2005: Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa
- 1998: MBChB, University of Zimbabwe
Awards
- 2019: Young Investigator Award, International AIDS Society, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2017: Young Investigator Award, International AIDS Society, Seattle, USA
- 2016-2018: Australian Postgraduate Association (APA) Scholarship
- 2012: Prize for Excellence in Research Related to the Needs of Children Affected by AIDS - International AIDS Society (IAS)/CCABA (Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS). Awarded at the AIDS 2012 Conference
- 2012: Scholarship - Bristol-Myers Squibb Exchange/British HIV Association/ Southern Africa HIV Clinicians Society. Participated in an exchange program over two weeks (8-19 October 2012) in UK and attended the British HIV Association (BHIVA) Autumn Conference (4-5 October 2012).
- 2012: Scholarship - Southern Africa HIV Clinicians Society, Durban, South Africa. To attend the 3rd South African TB Conference
- 2011: Career Development Fellowship in Clinical Research, WHO/TDR
Projects (2)
Current (2)
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EC Australia: Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Partnership
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RID-TB: Reducing the Impact of Drug-Resistant TB in Western Province, PNG
Publications (23)
2023 (1)
- Contact screening and management in a high-transmission MDR-TB setting in Papua New Guinea: Progress, challenges and future directions
Majumdar SS, Islam S, Huang GKL, Morris L, Bauri M, Chan G, Kama G, Keam T, Peacock-Smith A, Finch S, Marukutira T, Bhatt S, Drewett G, Wratten M, Murray A, Pank N, Masah C, Bala R, Umali S, Kalon S, Greig J, Chani K, Kal M and Graham SM
Front. Trop. Dis. 2023 Jan; 3:1085401.
2022 (1)
- Randomised controlled trial of active case management to link hepatitis C notifications to treatment in Tasmania, Australia: a study protocol.
Marukutira T, Moore KP, Hellard M, Richmond J, Turner K, Pedrana AE, Melody S, Johnston FH, Owen L, Van Den Boom W, Scott N, Thompson A, Iser D, Spelman T, Veitch M, Stoové MA, Doyle J
BMJ Open. 2022 Mar; 12(3):e056120
2021 (2)
- Growing data for recycling tenofovir and lamivudine with dolutegravir as empiric second-line antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings.
Marukutira T, Wood BR
AIDS. 2021 Jul; 35(9):1505-1507
- "It's time!": A qualitative exploration of the acceptability of hepatitis C notification systems to help eliminate hepatitis C.
Walker S, Wallace J, Latham N, Saich F, Pedrana A, Hellard M, Treloar C, Marukutira T, Higgs P, Doyle J, Stoové M
Int J Drug Policy. 2021 May; 97:103280
2020 (5)
- Phylogenetic clustering networks among heterosexual migrants with new HIV diagnoses post-migration in Australia.
Sacks-Davis R, Chibo D, Peach E, Aleksic E, Crowe SM, El Hayek C, Marukutira T, Higgins N, Stoové M, Hellard M
PLoS One. 2020 Sep; 15(9):e0237469
- Advanced HIV disease in the Botswana combination prevention project: prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes.
Lebelonyane R, Mills LA, Mogorosi C, Ussery F, Marukutira T, Theu J, Kapanda M, Matambo S, Block L, Raizes E, Makhema J, Lockman S, Bachanas P, Moore J, Jarvis JN
AIDS. 2020 Jul; 34(15):2223-2230
- Gaps in the HIV diagnosis and care cascade for migrants in Australia, 2013-2017: A cross-sectional study.
Marukutira T, Gray RT, Douglass C, El-Hayek C, Moreira C, Asselin J, Donovan B, Vickers T, Spelman T, Crowe S, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard M
PLoS Med. 2020 Mar; 17(3):e1003044
- Trends in late and advanced HIV diagnoses among migrants in Australia; implications for progress on Fast-Track targets: A retrospective observational study.
Marukutira T, Gunaratnam P, Douglass C, Jamil MS, McGregor S, Guy R, Gray RT, Spelman T, Horyniak D, Higgins N, Giele C, Crowe SM, Stoové M, Hellard M
Medicine. 2020 Feb; 99(8):e19289
- Modelling the impact of migrants on the success of the HIV care and treatment program in Botswana.
Marukutira T, Scott N, Kelly SL, Birungi C, Makhema JM, Crowe S, Stoové M, Hellard M
PLoS One. 2020 Jan; 15(1):e0226422
2019 (5)
- Comparison of knowledge of HIV status and treatment coverage between non-citizens and citizens: Botswana Combination Prevention Project (BCPP).
Marukutira T, Block L, Alwano MG, Behel S, Jarvis JN, Chakalisa U, Powis K, Novitsky V, Bapati W, Wang H, Ussery F, Lebelonyane R, Mills LA, Moore J, Bachanas P
PLoS One. 2019 Aug; 14(8):e0221629
- Clinical outcomes of a cohort of migrants and citizens living with human immunodeficiency virus in Botswana: implications for Joint United Nation Program on HIV and AIDS 90-90-90 targets.
Marukutira T, Yin D, Cressman L, Kariuki R, Malone B, Spelman T, Mawandia S, Ledikwe JH, Semo BW, Crowe S, Stoove M, Hellard M, Dickinson D
Medicine. 2019 Jun; 98(23):e15994
- Botswana should consider expansion of free antiretroviral therapy to immigrants.
Escudero DJ, Marukutira T, McCormick A, Makhema J, Seage GR III
J Int AIDS Soc. 2019 Jun; 22(6):e25328
- Impact of Xpert MTB/RIF assay on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment outcomes in a health district in South Africa.
Mahwire TC, Zunza M, Marukutira T, Naidoo P
SAMJ. 2019 Apr; 109(4):259-263
- HIV diagnoses in migrant populations in Australia-A changing epidemiology.
Gunaratnam P, Heywood AE, McGregor S, Jamil MS, McManus H, Mao L, Lobo R, Brown G, Hellard M, Marukutira T, Bretaña NA, Lang C, Medland N, Bavinton B, Grulich A, Guy R
PLoS One. 2019 Feb; 14(2):e0212268
2018 (1)
- A tale of two countries: progress towards UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets in Botswana and Australia.
Marukutira T, Stoové M, Lockman S, Mills LA, Gaolathe T, Lebelonyane R, Jarvis JN, Kelly SL, Wilson DP, Luchters S, Crowe SM, Hellard M
J Int AIDS Soc. 2018 Mar; 21(3):e25090
2016 (1)
2015 (3)
- The adherence-outcome relationship is not altered by diary-driven adjustments of microelectronic monitor data.
Eby J, Chapman J, Marukutira T, Anabwani G, Tshume O, Lepodisi O, Dipotso T, Mokete K, Gross R, Lowenthal E
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2015 Dec; 24(12):1313-1320
- Prediction of HIV Virologic Failure Among Adolescents Using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist.
Lowenthal ED, Marukutira T, Tshume O, Chapman J, Anabwani GM, Gross R
AIDS Behav. 2015 Nov; 19(11):2044-2048
- Parental absence from clinic predicts human immunodeficiency virus treatment failure in adolescents.
Lowenthal ED, Marukutira T, Tshume O, Chapman J, Nachega JB, Anabwani G, Gross R
JAMA Pediatr. 2015 May; 169(5):498-500
2014 (3)
- Psychosocial assessments for HIV+ African adolescents: establishing construct validity and exploring under-appreciated correlates of adherence.
Lowenthal ED, Marukutira TC, Chapman J, Mokete K, Riva K, Tshume O, Eby J, Matshaba M, Anabwani GM, Gross R, Glanz K
PLoS One. 2014 Oct; 9(10):e109302
- Perinatally acquired HIV infection in adolescents from sub-Saharan Africa: a review of emerging challenges.
Lowenthal ED, Bakeera-Kitaka S, Marukutira T, Chapman J, Goldrath K, Ferrand RA
Lancet Infect Dis. 2014 Jul; 14(7):627-639
- Clinical characteristics and outcomes in 303 HIV-infected patients with invasive fungal infections: data from the Prospective Antifungal Therapy Alliance registry, a multicenter, observational study.
Marukutira T, Huprikar S, Azie N, Quan SP, Meier-Kriesche HU, Horn DL
HIV AIDS. 2014 Mar; 6:39-47
2013 (1)
News Articles (5)
2022 (1)
2020 (3)
2018 (1)
