Dr Bathabile Ramalapa
Scientific and Industrial
We are always in the process of becoming, so remain, always, a work in progress
Dr Bathabile Ramalapa is a senior researcher and scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria who works hard to develop drug treatments that are affordable and customised to the specific needs of Africans.
The essence of her work is to use science and innovation to fulfil the World Health Organisation goals towards overall global health access. Some of the goals, among other things, include the promotion of health accessibility, fighting communicable diseases, achievement of universal health coverage and development and universal access to affordable vaccines and medicines.
Ramalapa has devoted her time working towards finding a solution to manage and treat diseases with high frequency in Africa.
She was born in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, and she and her many cousins were raised by her grandparents, while their parents had to work to fend for them.
Her dream as a child was to become a medical doctor. But she did not know what a scientist looked like, and least of all, that she would one
“My passion for innovation is what got me attracted to a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). I was inspired to find simple ways to solve African problems and did not like the ‘one-size-fits-all approach’,” says Ramalapa.
She holds two Phds in pharmaceutical sciences conferred in France and chemical sciences awarded in Belgium.
The award-winning scientist is also involved in programmes with the Department of Science and Innovation that foster EU-SA collaborative networks and human capital development in science and technology.