20/10/2025
๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ
A remarkable husband-and-wife duo, Dr Wonderful Tatenda Choga and Dr Ontlametse Thato Choga, have achieved a shared milestone after graduating with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Medical Sciences from the University of Botswana on 17 October 2025.
The couple, who both work at the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (BHP), the countryโs premier medical research institute, have built an inspiring story of dedication, teamwork, and scientific excellence.
Between them, they boast an impressive record of over 90 high-impact peer-reviewed publications, with Dr Wonderful Choga contributing more than 70 and Dr Ontlametse Choga over 20. Their work spans areas critical to public health, including HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging viral infections.
At BHP, Dr Wonderful Choga serves as the Senior Bioinformatician, leading advanced multiple genomic analyses and supporting national and regional efforts in infectious disease surveillance. His wife, Dr Ontlametse Choga, is a virologist and postdoctoral fellow, focusing on HIV genomics, treatment outcomes and immune response research.
The two are proud products of ๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐, a flagship programme that nurtures the next generation of scientists through mentorship and academic collaborations with local and regional universities. Their academic journey exemplifies the success of this initiative and its mission to strengthen Botswanaโs scientific leadership in global health research.
Reflecting on their achievement, the Chogas credited BHPโs supportive environment and mentorship culture for shaping their careers. The couple, who have been trending for their academic triumph, expressed deep appreciation for the opportunities and guidance received through BHPโs training programs, which provided both funding and mentorship for their studies.
Their success not only highlights their personal dedication but also underscores the transformative impact of sustained investment in local research capacity. As they continue their journey at BHP, the Chogas stand as a powerful symbol of excellence, partnership(even at family level), and the bright future of scientific innovation in Botswana.
