Dr. Peter Barron is a Public health specialist, with 35 years experience of improving the quality of care at primary care level and implementation of a district health system in South Africa. Has a special interest in management of routine information and monitoring and evaluation and more recently mHealth; currently gives oversight to a national mHealth programme for pregnant women (MomConnect) in South Africa.
Worked as a rural district hospital doctor in what is now Namibia and the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa; senior health manager in local government health services in Cape Town; acting head of the newly formed health department in the Northern Cape Province (after democracy in 1994); senior manager at Health Systems Trust for 14 years(a large independent NGO); freelance consultant in public health in many countries in Africa and Indian sub-continent (mostly as team leader); for the past 8 years has been a long term consultant in the national Department of Health of South Africa giving support around information systems, HIV, TB and maternal and child health.
Was a member of the technical review panel (TRP) of The Global Fund for Rounds 2007 to 2010 and participated in several country audits (as the public health expert) of the office of the Inspector-General of The Global Fund.
Is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles; as well as many publications in grey literature; conceptualised and wrote the District Health Barometer of the Health Systems Trust and has been an editor of the South African Health Review on many occasions.