Dr Sarah Mlambo

Dr Sarah Mlambo is a Lecturer in the School of Nursing at Welwitchia University, Namibia. She is currently a visiting fellow collaborating with Dr Nicole Votruba at the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford under the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme.

Dr Mlambo’s research focuses on maternal mental health, indigenous knowledge systems, woman-centred care and reproductive health. With a PhD in Nursing, her work has contributed to improved birthing experiences for women, specifically in midwifery practices in Namibia. She has published several studies on childbirth choice facilitation and advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to maternal health. Her current projects include initiatives on eLearning and maternal health Interprofessional Simulation Education in Africa through the Africa Finland Education Network. Dr Mlambo is also actively involved in maternal well-being community engagements at national and international platforms as a committee member in Namibia’s National Maternal and Neonatal Death Review Committee and GOLD Midwifery.

At Oxford, Dr Mlambo will advance her project, “Indigenous Knowledge Systems as a Critical Determinant for Maternal Mental Health Outcomes,” focusing on how traditional practices influence maternal mental health in Namibia, Zimbabwe, and India. Her work aims to integrate these knowledge systems into modern healthcare, potentially transforming maternal care approaches for improved mental health outcomes among Southern African women.