A high placed source in the health department confirmed yesterday (TUESDAY) that Matsoso, a pharmacist, has emerged as the preferred candidate.

Despite his own denials that he was not interested in the job, Western Cape Health Director General Professor Craig Househam emerged at the front runner shortly after Thami Mseleku was axed last year. However, Househam opted not to pursue the position.

Matsoso joined the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2004 during the tenure of former health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. Matsoso’€™s job as registrar was tough as she had to retain the MCC’€™s independence amid the high levels of denialism from Tshabalala-Msimang.

At the WHO she served as Director in Public Health Innovation and Intellectual Property in the office of the Director General, serving as WHO Secretariat on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property.

She had also been the Director of the Department of Technical Cooperation for Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicines at the WHO.

Before joining the WHO, Matsoso had been a senior official in the South African Government for nine and a half years and also served as Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) harmonisation initiative and coordinated related activities for the region for effective regulation of medicines in the region.

Matsoso headed the MCC for seven years, responsible for overseeing 10 technical committees. She has been a member of the National Research Ethics Council in South Africa and has produced over 40 technical guidelines for the medicines regulatory authority in South Africa. She directed the development of the National Drug Policy and the Essential Drugs Programme for South Africa.

She has been a member of various advisory panels locally and internationally, mainly tasked with improving access to medicines.