Ester Ndahekelekwa Nepolo

Ester Ndahekelekwa Nepolo is a public health professional with a nursing background, currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health. Her academic and professional journey has been marked by a strong focus on health systems and policy research, monitoring, and evaluation. Nepolo has held several advisory and coordination roles in Namibia’s health sector, notably with the Global Fund Programme Management Unit and the Ministry of Health and Social Services. She has extensive experience in health data analysis, strategic planning, and research management. Her work has contributed to the development and implementation of various health policies and surveys, including the Demographic and Health Surveys and the National Strategic Plans, mostly for the communicable diseases such as HIV, TB and Malaria. She is a results-driven Advisor with positive attitude, highly effective at analyzing data and trends to make timely, useful and effective recommendations. Well-versed in operating in complex, dynamic environments under tight deadlines. Prepared to leverage her more than 20 years' experience in the health sector to expand her horizons.

• Participated in the 2024 - 2026 Global Fund grant making process to assist with the development and finalization of the Grant's Performance Framework (2023).
• Participated in the 2024 - 2026 Global Fund grant application process (2023).
• Certificate in Introduction to Data Analysis with R, with Public Health Applications (2023) a 16-week online course in health data science delivered by the Global Research and Analysis for Public Health Network, Institute of Global Health, Infectious Diseases and Mathematical Modeling Division, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
• Participated in HIV/TB/Malaria National Strategic Plan End Term Reviews and National Strategic Plans Development(2022/2023), Windhoek, Namibia.
• Participated in the Global Fund Grant 2024 - 2026 Resource mobilization Country Orientation (2022), WHO and Global Fund
• Participated in the Social Contracting Policy Concept note development (2022), Ministry of Health and Social Services.
• Certificate in District Health Information System (DHIS2) Logistical Management Information System (LMIS) Academy Level 2 (2020) University of Oslo, Norway.
• Certificate in Introduction to Health Policy and Systems Research (2018) University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
• Certificate of attendance Research and Innovation Proposal Writing (2016) NCRST and University of Witwatersrand, Windhoek, Namibia.
• Certificate in Service Provision Assessment (SPA) Data Analysis using STATA 14 (2016), USAID, Pretoria, South Africa.
• Attended the 11th Global Summit on Bioethics (2016) Berlin, Germany.
• Certificate in Health Management (2014) University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
• Attended a training on e-health policy and strategy development (2011) Swaziland.

• Technical Advisory Member: Namibia Sustainability Roadmap of HIV/AIDS, STI, Tuberculosis, Viral Hepatitis and Malaria national response: Ministry of Health and Social Services (2023).
• Technical Advisor to support the Review of the National Research Policy, Development of the Research Strategic Plan and Development of the Health Research Agenda for the Ministry of Health and Social Services): Contracted by the World Health Organization (2023).
• Technical Advisor to support Research and Innovation Pillar for the National COVID-19 Response (Drafted the COVID-19 Service Readiness Assessment report for the MoHSS): Contracted by the World Health Organization (2021 - 2022).
• Technical Advisor to facilitate the Planning of the Health Systems Review and the conduct of the National Health Research Policy Review and priority setting: Contracted by the World Health Organization (2021).
• Technical Advisory member: Social Contracting Policy Development: Ministry of Health and Social Services (2022).
• Technical Advisory member: Community-led Monitoring (Ministry of Health and Social Services and UNAIDS) (2022).
• M&E Technical Advisory Member: Ministry of Health and Social Services - Key Populations Priority for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) and Stigma Study - Positive Vibes (Global Fund) (2022).
• Technical Advisory Member: Ministry of Health and Social Services Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Technical Advisory Committee (2018).
• Technical Advisory Member: Ministry of Health and Social Services Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) M&E framework development (2017/18).
• Technical Advisory Member: Ministry of Health and Social Services HIV Combination Prevention Strategy Development (2017/18).
• Technical Advisor: Ministry of Health and Social Services & Global Fund Health Facility Census and Data Quality Assessment (2017/18).
• Technical Committee member: Tuberculosis Disease Prevalence Survey (2017/18).
• Technical Committee member: National HIV Strategic Plan (NSF) Technical Working Group (2016/17 and 2022).
• Service Provision Assessment data analysis for the USAID Demographic and Health Surveys Program - Assessment of heath facility readiness to monitor HIV/AIDS services using Health Information Systems in Namibia (2016).
• Technical Committee Member: Health Information System Technical Working Group (2016).
• Advisory Committee member: Rössing Uranium Epidemiology Study of Uranium Mineworkers (2016).
• Technical Committee member: Ministry of Health and Social Services and University of San Francisco California Namibia Population-based HIV/AIDS Impact Assessment (NAMPHIA) (2016/2017).
• Technical Advisor: Ministry of Health and Social Services National Suicide Study (2015/16).
• Technical member: National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan development (2015).
• Technical Committee member: Namibia Statistics Agency 2014/2015 Namibia Income and Expenditure Household Survey (2014).
• Facilitator: 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey Data Analysis and Report Writing (2014).
• Data Analysis and Report Writing (2013/2014): 2013 Namibian Demographic and Health Survey.
• Project Monitoring and Evaluation: 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (2013/2014).
• Supervisor: 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey Data Entry (2013).
• National Supervisor: 2013 Demographic and Health Survey (Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Otjozondjupa, Kavango and Zambezi Regions) (2013).
• Trainer: 2013 Demographic and Health Survey Listing Exercise and Main Fieldwork Training (2013).
• Proposal development: 2013 Demographic and Health Survey Project Proposal (2012)

• Maiden Name: Shaama
• ID Number: 8007010063
• Nationality: Namibian
• Marital Status: Married

• Dr. Hilma Nangombe, Head of Research, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Directorate of Health Information and Research, Windhoek, +264 61 2032502/62 (W), hnangombe@gmail.com, 0816268924
• Ms. Selma Imene - Schutt, Programmes Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia Global Fund Grant Programme Management Unit, Windhoek, +264 61 296 5700, imene-schutts@mohss-pmu.com.na, 0811473446
• Ms. Kasee Ithana, Grant Manager, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia Global Fund Grant Programme Management Unit, kasee.ithana@icloud.com, +264 811290355

I am passionate about strategic information production, and I am always trying to improve my knowledge and skills through research. I enjoy taking part in constructive debates, likes challenging activities that require one's full attention as I am enthusiastic to expand my knowledge. As a leisure activity, I like reading and exercising.

• Certificate in Introduction to Data Analysis with R, with Public Health Applications (2023) a 16-week online course in health data science delivered by the Global Research and Analysis for Public Health Network, Institute of Global Health, Infectious Diseases and Mathematical Modeling Division, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
• Certificate of Achievement BSAFE course(2021), United Nations Department of Safety and Security.
• Certificate in District Health Information System (DHIS2) Logistical Management Information System (LMIS) Academy Level 2 (2020) University of Oslo, Norway.
• Certificate in Introduction to Health Policy and Systems Research (2018) University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
• Certificate of attendance Research and Innovation Proposal Writing (2016) NCRST and University of Witwatersrand, Windhoek, Namibia.
• Certificate in Service Provision Assessment (SPA) Data Analysis using STATA 14 (2016), USAID, Pretoria, South Africa.
• Certificate in Health Management (2014) University of the Western Cape, South Africa.