ABOUT Hannah Simba

Hannah Simba is an Associate Research Scientist in the Chronic Diseases Management Unit at APHRC. As an epidemiologist, she is actively involved in leading research on cancer care pathways, managing core projects, contributing to proposal development, and engaging stakeholders in efforts to improve cancer care in Africa.

She holds a PhD in Public Health from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a Master’s in Environmental Health from the
University of Pretoria. Before joining APHRC, she was a postdoctoral scientist at the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), where she focused her research on cancer epidemiology. She has been recognized for her contributions to cancer research through prestigious awards such as the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Prize, the Collaboration for Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health in Africa CEBHA+ education grant, and the Margaret McNamara Education Grant awarded to Women Committed to driving positive change through higher education and leadership.

Her research interests lie in chronic diseases and the factors influencing risk, health-seeking behavior, access to care, and disparities. She is also passionate about understudied chronic diseases in Africa, exploring how epidemiology can inform better prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies in these areas.