Biography

Welile is a PhD Fellow with the Clinical Mycobacteriology and Epidemiology (CLIME) Research Group at Stellenbosch University and a 2024 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talent laureate. She is an early-career researcher focused on validating innovative point-of-care and rapid diagnostic tools to improve TB detection. Her current research explores non-sputum-based diagnostics that are effective in settings with limited laboratory infrastructure. With a commitment to advancing accessible and accurate TB diagnostics, Welile aims to drive impactful change in TB detection and public health across underserved communities.

Expertise

TB Diagnostics
Public Health

Key Impacts

Who, what, and how much: Sputum scarcity amongst people requiring tuberculosis testing across multiple countries

Sputum-scarce people are more likely to be female, TB-positive individuals on ART and individuals with lower disease burden. Sputum scarcity demonstrates significant geographical variation and has a significant impact on diagnostic accuracy. These findings highlight the need for an extra effort and alternative TB diagnostic strategies.

Source: Conference 2024