Nicholas Crisp is a medical doctor and public health medicine specialist, and an Honorary Professor in Public Health Medicine at the University of Pretoria. He spent 15 years in Limpopo, progressing from intern to Medical Officer, Hospital Superintendent, Regional Director for Northern Transvaal, and then Superintendent General of the Department of Health and Welfare (1995–1999).
Nicholas then worked as a consultant on projects across several African countries. He was closely involved in the establishment of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), the transfer of medicolegal mortuaries from police to health, and the creation of Forensic Pathology Services, as well as the establishment of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). During COVID-19, he was responsible for managing the vaccination programme.
In 2023 he was awarded the PHILA Lifetime Achievement Award by the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA). He is now South Africa’s Deputy Director General for National Health Insurance, where he is establishing the governance and administrative capabilities of the entity that will manage the NHI Fund.