Staff Profiles: School of Nursing and Public Health

staff profiles: SCHOOL OF NURSING & PUBLIC HEALTH

Mr Michael Justinus Murundu Shirungu

1. Name	Mr. Michael Justinus Murundu Shirungu.
2. Tertiary Qualifications	MA (Medical Anthropology) University of the Western Cape (UWC) 2011 Diploma In Comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery Science (UNAM) University of Namibia (2007)
3. Current Position	Lecturer
4. Campus Address	Main Campus, Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, Windhoek Block G, Room G129
5. Office Phone, Fax & Cell phone	+264 61 206 3005 +264 61 206 3822 (fax) 081 23 55 093 (mobile)
6. Email Address	mshirungu@unam.na or Littleonemike@yahoo.com
7. Short Biography	Mr. Shirungu Michael is a Namibian born scholar whose work has mainly focus on Health, both biomedical and Traditional healing. Mr. Shirungu who is a Medical Anthropologist and Professional Nurse has been involved in health issues for the past six years. He recently completed his Masters degree in Medical Anthropology at the University of the Western Cape (2011). His thesis engages a subject that has long been at the centre of research and debates in gender, HIV/AIDS and health, as well as the anthropology of HIV treatment in Africa; but which has also been “inadequately” researched, especially in Namibia where Mr. Shirungu’s field work was conducted. He argues that there’s a need to understand the cultural dimensions/aspects of care amongst local actors (pregnant women in this case) is absolutely essential towards curbing the spread of infections from mother-to-child. He moves away from the political-economy approach to explain HIV/AIDS, which has dominated research, theorizing and interventions on HIV/AIDS across the African continent. Mr. Shirungu’s work points to several research directions such as how the discourse and practice of PMTCT is produced, distributed, consumed, negotiated and reinterpreted by various actors. Mr.Shirungu is currently lecturing at the University of Namibia and he is busy working on his PHD proposal entitled “Discourses of Masculinities and Prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Kavango.
8. Resume/Vita	Resume/vita document
9. Recently Taught Courses	Contemporary Social Issues: CSI 3429 (2011- Until present) Medical Anthropology (2010) UWC Sociology ( Crime and Violence) UWC
10. Academic interest/ expertise	HIV/AIDS, PMTCT, Masculinities, Gender based Violence and Traditional Medicines
11. research and publications
12. Recent Professional Activities	Recently obtained a Master’s degree in Medical Anthropology at the University of the Western Cape (2011) Made a presentation at the University of Namibia, entitled Preserving mpoyetu (our culture); Discourses of Likuki/Shipumuna in Kavango (2011) Discussant on a paper at the University of Namibia entitled the role of small medium enterprise (2011)