Makhado is a pharmacist by profession with more than 30 years of working experience in the public sector, private sector, non-governmental organisations, and academic institutions. He holds a B.Pharm degree from the University of the Western Cape, a Diploma in Hospital Pharmacy Management, and an MSc (Med) Pharmacy from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. As a consultant, Mr Makhado specialises in health supply chain, Logistics Management Information Systems strengthening, and pharmacovigilance.

He has been a part-time health supply chain lecturer at the University of Rwanda since 2018 and also teaches at various institutions of higher learning in South Africa. He has managed several projects as a lead consultant, which include a needs assessment project for the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, a Southern African Development Community (SADC) project for Central Medical Stores procurement, quantification and estimation of ARVs and TB medicines in South Africa, and Logistics Management Information System strengthening for clinics in Ekurhuleni Metro, Johannesburg, South Africa.