Alan Whiteside has an MA from the University of East Anglia and a D Econ from the University of Natal. He began his professional career as an Overseas Development Institute Fellow working as a Planning Officer (Economist) in the Ministry of Finance and Development, Gaborone, Botswana from 1980 to 1983.

Contact details: 031 260 2590 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

In 1983 he joined the Economic Research Unit of the University of Natal as a Research Fellow. In 1998 he established the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division and is its the Director.

His main research interest at present is the economic and development impact of HIV/AIDS. He started and edited the newsletter AIDS Analysis Africa for over 10 years. In 2000 he co-authored, with Clem Sunter, AIDS: The Challenge for South Africa, published by Human and Rousseau/Tafelberg. In 2002 he wrote (with Tony Barnett) AIDS in the 21st Century: Disease and Globalisation published by Palgrave MacMillan. He has carried out training around the world and worked in much of Africa, Ukraine and parts of Asia. In 2003 he was appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan as one of the Commissioners on the Commission for HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa. Other academic appointments include: Visiting Professor School of Medicine Liverpool University, Leverhulme Visiting Professor University of Southampton and Visiting Fellow University of East Anglia. He is an elected Member of the Governing Council of the International AIDS Society and a member of the Governing Council of Waterford Kamhlaba College.