Aspro. Vindana Chibabhai

Vindana Chibabhai is a South African infectious diseases specialist and researcher affiliated with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and leading academic hospitals in Johannesburg. Her work centres on antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, and the epidemiology of invasive bacterial and fungal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as neonates and individuals living with HIV.

Her publications reflect strong expertise in neonatal infectious diseases, including candidemia, invasive candidiasis, and Candida auris outbreaks, combining clinical epidemiology with genomic and laboratory surveillance. She has contributed to national analyses on pneumococcal conjugate vaccine impact and cryptococcal antigen screening, demonstrating the value of large-scale surveillance data to inform policy and improve patient outcomes in resource-limited settings.

Chibabhai also plays a prominent role in antimicrobial stewardship implementation and policy development in South Africa, authoring position papers and multicentre studies that address barriers to optimal antibiotic use. Her work bridges research, clinical guidance, and education initiatives, strengthening infection prevention strategies and advancing responsible access to new and existing antimicrobials.