Imen Ayouni Ep Labidi
Dr Imen is a PhD fellow at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and VACFA. Her PhD project. She is leading a project, that consists of a multi-methods cohort study, that seeks to investigate pregnant women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, toward all vaccines. Her research seeks to better understand vaccine confidence or hesitancy among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries, in general, and in South Africa in particular. Additionally, her PhD project includes a mixed cross-sectional study, among healthcare workers working in maternity departments, hospitals, and midwife obstetrics units to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and awareness towards vaccines in general, vaccination in pregnancy, and the HPV vaccine. Her project is supported by the University of Cape Town, the Wellcome Trust, and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).
Imen has a background in Dental Medicine for which she received a Professional Doctorate from the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université de Monastir, Tunisia in 2016. Then, she pursued a research internship with the Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics and the Research Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention (CDPRC), at the Farhat Hached University Hospital, also in Tunisia. At the same time, she was leader and trainer for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Imen has been directly involved in work dedicated to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 3. “Promote gender equality and empower women”, 4. "Reduce Child Mortality" and 5. "Improve Maternal Health" at both national and international levels. In this role, Imen has served as a volunteer at WAGGGS International Centres in London and Mexico, as the Tunisia Regional Commissioner, and as a Post-2015 Agenda Ambassador. In addition, she was selected as a youth delegate and attended the 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 14 to 24 March 2016. This gave her the platform to further advocate for women's rights to empowerment, inclusion, and participation in decision-making, especially in the context of reproductive health and rights.
Imen is involved in the work of VACFA and the NISH project such as conducting systematic reviews, supporting postgraduate students, and planning and running of the Annual African Vaccinology Course and any other short course hosted by VACFA etc. She works closely with her primary supervisor Prof Rudzani Muloiwa, as well as with her co-supervisors A/Prof Benjamin Kagina and Dr Edina Amponsah-Dacosta.