Ben Ncube, MBA, a first-year master’s student in the Duke Department of Population Health Sciences, has been honored with two prestigious awards in Zimbabwe for his groundbreaking work in men’s health and the development of a 9-point system to improve service uptake.
The awards were presented at a ceremony held on Wednesday, September 18, in Harare, Zimbabwe. Ncube received the Presidential Award for the Best Innovation in the Private Sector in Zimbabwe, and was recognized as the first runner-up for the Presidential Award for the Best Healthcare Innovation in Zimbabwe.
Ncube was unable to attend the ceremony, however, his awards were graciously collected on his behalf by Dr. Antonio Marizane, dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe (CUZ). The Honorable President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, and Prof. Amon Murwira, minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, presented the awards.
“When I opened the first Men’s Health Clinic in Zimbabwe at the age of 23, I faced numerous challenges and often felt like an imposter in the healthcare sector,” Ncube said. “To be recognized by the president of my country is validation that my work matters and that I belong. This honor has ignited a new passion in me, and I am excited to continue my journey in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke.”
Ncube’s work in men’s health began with his study on the utility of virtual outreach programs in influencing men’s healthcare-seeking behaviors, which he conducted during his MBA at CUZ in 2022. The university submitted his name and work for consideration for these awards earlier this year.
