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Dr Esnat Chirwa
Specialist Statistician
Contact Info
Tel: (+27) 12 339 8556
Email: esnat.chirwa@mrc.ac.za
Education
PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Witwatersrand
Master’s degree in Biometry and Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics from the University of Reading
Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Computer Science from the University of Malawi

Dr Esnat Chirwa holds a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Witwatersrand (SA), Master’s degree in Biometry and Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics from the University of Reading (UK) and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Computer Science from the University of Malawi. She has extensive experience in study design, data collection, management, and analysis of gender-based violence prevention studies in different settings.  She was the Technical Advisor and Lead statistician for several studies within the What works to prevent Violence Global programme, a multi-country DFID-funded programme. She has over 15 years of experience teaching study designs, statistics theory and quantitative analysis methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students and currently holds an Honorary Senior Lecturer position within the School of Public Health at the University of Witwatersrand. She has done data analysis consultancy work for various medical research organisations, such as Save the Children, National Aids Commission of Malawi and College of Medicine (University of Malawi). Esnat have extensive experience in data analysis of population-based surveys and her primary interest is the application of advanced statistical modelling techniques to public health research, especially in gender-based violence studies. These advanced statistical methods include Structural Equation models (with MPlus), Multi-level Mixed Effects models, Generalized Estimating Equations, Random Effects Models, Joint Modelling, Group-based trajectory analysis and Latent Class Analysis.