03 December 2021 Volume :9 Issue :55

Disaster Management the Focus of PhD Study

Doctor of Administration graduate Dr Roshilla Sahadeo.

For Deputy District Director of iLembe Health District Dr Roshilla Sahadeo, pursuing her PhD while being at the forefront of managing and controlling the spread of COVID-19 has been a challenging experience. Sahadeo who graduated with a PhD in Administration at UKZN’s Spring Graduation, added that reaching the finish line was only possible through the support of her supervisor Professor Mogie Subban, and her family.

‘I was living a disaster management situation while working on my doctoral study and is was extremely challenging to balance work commitments and study deadlines,’ she said.

‘The unwavering support of my supervisor, a timeline and lots of hard work after hours and on weekends helped me to overcome this challenge.’

Her study titled: Integrated disaster risk reduction framework in health service delivery: A case of Ilembe Health District focused on swift and effective responses to disasters, post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation.

‘My study related to the current disaster imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic globally and at a local level. The empirical research conducted at iLembe Health District focused on communication, co-ordination and integration of stakeholders regarding disaster risk reduction (DRR). A DRR efficacy intervention is bottom-up. Key recommendations include an integrated framework for effective DRR implementation and health delivery improvement through community-based resilience,’ explained Sahadeo.

As the 2018 recipient of the UKZN Doctoral Scholarship who also won a laptop during the lucky draw during the Scholarships Awards ceremony, Sahadeo says she is very grateful to the College of Law and Management Studies and UKZN as the scholarship was really a boost to her studies.

‘Achieving this qualification has been a humbling and exciting experience. I feel proud of my achievement as a legacy for my children to aspire to and achieve their own dreams, and I am glad that I made UKZN my university of choice!’

Words: Thandiwe Jumo

Photograph: Supplied

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