Researchers from the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) recently showcased innovative environmental and public health studies at the 18th World Congress on Public Health, held in Cape Town from 5 to 9 September 2026. Representing MUT’s Department of Environmental Health within the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, Dr Siphesihle Masimula and Dr Trishka Pillay contributed to global health discussions convened under this year’s theme: “Health without Borders: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability.” The international conference gathered policymakers, researchers, and public health experts to address pressing health challenges, exchange insights, and foster cross-border collaboration.
MUT’s delegation presented two key papers, detailing critical health issues facing South African communities and higher education institutions. Dr Pillay presented her study titled “Associations between HIV knowledge, sexual risk behaviours, and HIV serostatus among university students in South Africa.” Dr Pillay’s findings offer crucial insights into the gaps between HIV awareness and high-risk behaviours among tertiary students, providing a roadmap for more targeted prevention strategies in higher education environments.
Dr Masimula focused on integrating technology into local healthcare infrastructure in his paper, “Unlocking intelligence through digital technologies in environmental health data management and utilisation, to improve public health outcomes in the communities.” Dr Masimula’s research demonstrates how modern digital tools and streamlined data management can modernise environmental health monitoring and directly improve community health outcomes.
Dr Masimula said that the insights and global best practices gathered from the conference will be integrated directly into MUT’s academic curriculum, enhancing the training of future Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs).