Equitable Healthcare Systems for Africa
The Health Economics Unit advances research, training, and policy engagement to strengthen evidence-based decision-making across African health systems. Led by Professor Lungiswa Nkonki, HEU combines scientific credibility with real-world policy relevance, ensuring that economic evidence is translated into fairer and stronger healthcare systems.
Strengthening Health Systems Through Evidence
Health economics is a scarce skill globally, and the gap is even more pronounced in the Global South. In many low- and middle-income countries, policy choices are made without rigorous economic evaluation, resulting in interventions that fail to achieve their intended impact.
HEU addresses this gap by generating locally relevant evidence, mentoring new African health economists, and collaborating directly with policymakers to integrate economic evaluation into their decision-making processes.
Our Approach
Our vision is a world where all people can enjoy good health and live long and active lives. Our mission is to advance innovative health economics research, skills and capacity, shaping policy and practice towards equitable, strong healthcare systems for Africa. Our Approach is focused on three interconnected pillars:
Research & Innovation
Advancing investment cases across life stages and producing economic evidence that addresses urgent health challenges.
Training and Mentorship
Building a pipeline of Masters, PhD, and postdoctoral researchers to strengthen Africa's health economics capacity.
Policy Engagement
Working with governments and partners so evidence translates into better decisions during routine delivery and emergencies.
Our Research
HEU develops locally grounded and globally relevant evidence in three core areas:
Investment Across
the Life Course
Economic evidence from childhood through to adulthood, guiding where to invest for maximum health impact.
Health Financing & Preparedness
Guiding resource allocation and strengthening health system responses to emergencies and routine challenges.
Social & Commercial Determinants
Working with governments and partners so evidence translates into better decisions during routine delivery and emergencies.
Our research is deeply applied, connecting economic science with policy practice to build fairer and stronger healthcare systems.
Strengthening Health Policy From the Ground Up
HEU’s work contributes to stronger, more equitable health systems by building evidence that supports better decision-making.
Through partnerships with ministries, universities, and regional networks, the Unit helps integrate economic perspectives into policy design and promotes African-led approaches to global health economics. This commitment to evidence-informed policy and capacity building is led by Associate Professor Lungiswa Nkonki, whose leadership continues to shape how health economics is taught, practised, and applied across Africa.
Lungiswa Nkonki: Building Africa’s Health Economics Capacity
LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
Professor Lungiswa Nkonki is a leading health economist and health systems researcher whose work bridges research, teaching, and policy.
Her contributions to health economics education at Stellenbosch University have been transformative — evolving from a single module on economic evaluation into a full health economics track within the MPhil Health Systems programme. This initiative equips students with the analytical tools to influence policy, strengthen resource allocation, and advance equity in health.
Through mentorship and collaboration, she is nurturing a new generation of African health economists whose work is already contributing to stronger, more equitable healthcare systems across the continent.
