UKZN Doctoral Candidate in Japan as Research Exchange Student

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UKZN PhD candidate, Senior Medical Manager and Consultant in Family Medicine at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, Dr Myint Aung, is in Japan on a two-month research exchange at the University of Fukui’s Faculty of Medical Science.

Aung joins the institution’s Strategic International Research Cooperative Programme where he will be taught the specialised technique of extracting DNA from whole blood.

The technique could provide health solutions to pre-eclamptic South African women.

Pre-eclampsia or hypertension is a leading cause of death among pregnant women, Aung said, and his research – titled: “Gene Polymorphisms of the Renin-Angiotensin system, AT1, AT2 and AT4 Gene Expressions in Placenta and Circulating Angiotensin II Antibodies in Pre-eclamptic African Women” – is looking for the polymorphism gene that could influence or contribute to the development of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.

Aung said: ‘If we knew which gene contributes to the development of pre-eclampsia then we could develop prophylaxis or preventive strategy for those high risk women.’ He said his mission was to halt South Africa’s soaring maternal death rate.

Aung, who has lived in South African for 13 years, said there were a significant number of matriarchal families in the country thus women’s health was imperative as households depended on their care and leadership.

He lauded Professor Prem Gathirum, Professor Jack Moodley and Professor Anita Naicker for dedicating their lives to improving the quality of care for maternal child health and said they were an inspiration to his own success.

He was awarded a College of Health Sciences grant as well as funding from UKZN MEPI Project’s Research Methodology Programme to pursue his doctoral research.

Aung received membership to the Golden Key International Honor Society for outstanding academic results and obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in HIV Management as well as a Masters in Family Medicine, the Department to which he serves as an external examiner and honorary  Lecturer.

‘My wife and family support me a lot and they understood my goal and ambitions,’ Aung said. This and good time management helps him juggle between his studies, being a Senior Medical Manager and consultant, and achieving health service delivery targets.

He believes in honesty, enthusiasm, accountability, responsibility and team spirit (HEART) and strives towards making a difference in maternal and child health provincially and nationally.

Lunga Memela