Dr. Pumla Sodo

Pumla Sodo is a South African public health researcher whose work centers on health systems strengthening, primary health care, and human resources for health. Her scholarship addresses structural barriers that shape access to essential services, with a strong focus on underserved communities. Through applied, policy-relevant research, she contributes evidence to inform equitable service delivery in South Africa’s public health sector.

A significant strand of her research examines the dental therapy profession, exploring attrition, job satisfaction, and professional identity. Using mixed and qualitative methods grounded in health systems and motivational theory, she highlights systemic drivers of workforce loss and proposes strategies for improved production, deployment, and retention. This work advances understanding of mid-level providers’ roles in expanding oral health access.

Her broader portfolio spans HIV care and cervical cancer prevention in high-burden settings. Studies on delayed switching to second-line antiretroviral therapy and low cervical cancer screening uptake reveal multilevel barriers across provider, patient, and system domains. Recent work on abnormal cervical cytology underscores the need for strengthened screening programs and decentralized care, reinforcing her commitment to responsive, evidence-based primary health care.