Reetisha MEHTA, from Tanzania, is a doctor of medicine graduate pursuing a master of public health in epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Cape Town.
Throughout her training in Tanzania and South Africa, she witnessed first-hand how lives were lost, not because of disease alone, but because of poverty and a failing health system. She observed that doctors can only care for patients who make it through the hospital doors, yet many never reached them, raising an important question: Why are so many people left behind?
Driven to find answers, she decided to focus her research on preventable delays along the cancer care pathway and how they affect survival among women diagnosed with cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Her work aims to fill a critical gap in understanding what happens to women after diagnosis, how long they are waiting to get treatment, and how it is affecting their survival.
Reetisha wants her career to be dedicated to ensuring no lives are lost due to treatment delays and that every person, regardless of their socioeconomic status, receives timely treatment.
Beyond this, her personal goal is to empower and support women financially. Many talented women are held back not by their ability but by lack of support. She hopes to create opportunities for these women to reach their full potential and inspire them to not shy away from disciplines traditionally dominated by men.
