Ms Olwethu Mambinja (née Jikijela) is a pharmacist and public health professional with experience in pharmaceutical services, healthcare management, public health policy, medicines management, and national health programme implementation within South Africa’s public health system. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master of Public Health from the University of the Western Cape. Her career spans frontline pharmacy practice, hospital pharmaceutical services, community pharmacy, and senior health facility management. 

She currently serves in the National Department of Health’s Essential Drugs Programme (EDP), where she provides strategic mentorship and technical support to Provincial Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committees and contributes to pharmaceutical governance, rational medicines use, evidence-informed medicines policy, and implementation of the Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List. 

She contributes to improving access to reliable medicines information by maintaining STGs/EML content across national public platforms, including the EDP page on the National Health Insurance webpage and EMGuidance. 

Since 2023, she has coordinated the Pharmacy Month Working Group, supporting national initiatives that promote pharmacy’s contribution to public health, quality healthcare, and improved patient outcomes. 

Her professional interests include rational medicines use, pharmaceutical governance, evidence-based guideline implementation, and equitable access to quality medicines information. She translates national policy into practical improvements in healthcare delivery.