Prof William Macharia was the Founding Chair of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. He trained in health research and treatment of cancers and blood diseases at McMaster University, Canada (1989-91).
Before joining AKU in 2007, he was Associate Professor in Department of Paediatrics at University of Nairobi and Director of the Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Health Science. Other past appointments and responsibilities included being member of Board of Trustees of International Clinical Epidemiology Network (INCLEN), Secretary General of Africa chapter (AFRICLEN), member of WHO/AFRO advisory committee on health research and development and Member of DFID/IDRC/Welcome Trust funded consortium for National Health Research Expert Scientific Advisory Committee. He has been closely involved with activities of the East African Community Health Research; especially in organization of its regional meetings.
Dr Roseline Ochieng graduated from the University of Nairobi’s Medical School before proceeding to Monash Medical Center, Melbourne for a Neonatal Fellowship.
She was instrumental in setting up of modern Neonatal facilities at the Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi and established the first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the region. As the current Head of The Newborn Unit at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, she is at the forefront in training of Residents in Neonatal care as well as ensuring the unit moves with the times to ensure best survival of its little patients.
Dr Roseline is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Neonatologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Angela Migowa is a consultant paediatric rheumatologist at Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She is a graduate of the University of Nairobi with an MBChB degree in 2007 and an MMed degree in Pediatrics and Child Health from Aga Khan University in 2014. She received the Alan Ross Scholarship from McGill University Health Centre to pursue a fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology. She was an academic clinical fellow during which she developed interest in clinical immunology, training pediatric musculoskeletal examination, adolescent health, and patient support groups.
She has established a Paediatric Rheumatology Service and an Adolescent Clinical Service. She has been involved in collaborations and various research initiatives locally and internationally with the Kenya Pediatric Association (KPA), ArthRheuma Society of Kenya (ARSK), African League Against Rheumatism (AFLAR), African Society of Immunodeficiencies (ASID), Hereditary Angioedema International (HAEi), Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR). She has presented several talks, lectures and abstracts in various forums across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and North America to raise awareness on Pediatric Rheumatology.
Dr Migowa is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Rheumatologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Sean Del-Rossi graduated with a MD degree from Saint Petersburg State Medical Academy in Russia, where he received the Scholar of the year award in 2006, followed by a MMed degree in Paediatrics and Child Health from Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya. He later pursued a specialised fellowship training in Paediatric Clinical and Interventional Cardiology at Madras Medical Mission, Chennai, India.
Dr Del-Rossi is trained in various key cardiac diagnostic imaging including fetal, transthoracic and transesophageal 2D/3D echocardiography, cardiac CT and MRI. His key interests are in the development of a paediatric cardiac unit that focuses on diagnosis and management of Congenital Heart Diseases, both surgical and interventional, as well as the prevention of Acquired Heart Diseases especially Rheumatic Heart Disease in children and young women with a focus on the development of a Congenital Heart Disease registry in Kenya.
With key interest in emergency and critical care, Dr Sean Del-Rossi has been instrumental in the training of medical personnel in paediatric life support and is a registered course director (RCUK) and senior instructor for the European Paediatric Advanced Life Support (EPALS) and Fundamentals in Paediatric Critical Care Support (FPCCS). He is also a member of the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA), Kenya Cardiac Society (KCS), Paediatric Cardiac Society of India (PCSI).
Dr Del-Rossi is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Cardiologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE
Dr Isaac Kihurani, MBChB, MMed (Paeds), Fellowship (Paediatric Emergency Care)Assistant Professor & Programme Director
Dr Isaac Kihurani is an Assistant Professor and Programme Director, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. He is involved in the training of post-graduate residents on Paediatric Emergency and Critical Care. He is a graduate of the University of Nairobi with an MBChB degree in 1998 and a MMed degree in Paediatrics and Child Health from Aga Khan University in 2010.
Dr Kihurani was the pioneer fellow in Paediatric Emergency Care at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, University of Cape Town, a training he undertook between 2012 and 2013. He is now a Consultant Paediatrician with sub-specialisation in Paediatric Emergency and Critical Care.
Dr Kihurani has also been engaged in the training of numerous health care workers in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and the United Kingdom on paediatric resuscitation for over thirteen years through various courses such as PALS, EPLS, NLS, APLS (SA), PLS (SA), EPALS, GIC, PILS and CALS (US) both as an Instructor as well as a Course Director. He is also engaged with training on disaster and mass casualty management for the last five years both at AKUHN as well as other Centre’s in Kenya. He is a member of the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA), Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) as well as the Critical Care Society of Kenya (CCSK).
Dr Kihurani has been the Chair of the Departmental Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee (DQIPS) at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi for five years now. In this role, he has helped to coordinate quality improvement initiatives as well as address patient safety concerns in the Department of Paediatrics alongside other department leadership. This has been instrumental towards the hospital acquiring and maintaining its JCIA status as well as ISO certification.
Dr Kihurani is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Critical Care Specialist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE
Dr Elizabeth Kiragu, MBChB, MMed (Paeds), Fellowship (Paediatric Allergy)Senior Instructor
Dr Elizabeth Kiragu is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She attended the University of Nairobi and attained her undergraduate degree in 2005 and her Masters in Paediatrics and Child Health in 2012. She completed a 2-year fellowship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and attained a Diploma in Allergy in 2016, and a Certificate in Paediatric Allergy in 2017. Currently, she is working towards establishing a comprehensive allergy management services within the Paediatric Department, Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.
Dr Kiragu has special interest in food allergies, asthma and increasing awareness about allergies in children. She is a member of the Kenya Paediatric Association, Allergy Association of Kenya, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the European Respiratory Society. She was awarded the Eugene Weinberg medal for best candidate in the Allergy Diploma 2016 examinations by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.
Dr Kiragu is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Allergy Specialist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Katherine Oyieke, MBChB, MMed (Paeds), Paediatric Neurology CMSA (SA), M.Phil UCT (Paediatric Neurology)Senior Instructor
Dr Katherine Oyieke is a consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She is currently the Programme Director, Paediatric Neurology Fellowship Training Programme. She earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree at the University of Nairobi and soon after enrolled at the Aga Khan University where she completed her paediatric residency. Upon attaining her masters in paediatrics and child health, she was able to quickly fast-track her career progression and enrolled at the University of Cape Town for sub-specialty training in Paediatric Neurology at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
During her two-year Fellowship training, she was able to train under the supervision of leading paediatric neurologists, gaining vast knowledge and skills in neuro-developmental disorders, paediatric epilepsy, neurophysiology, neuro-muscular disorders, neuro-genetics, neuro-inflammatory, neuro-metabolic, neuro-degenerative and neurovascular disorders. She brings her expertise in the latest developments in the management of neurologic conditions and currently is engaged as a full-time clinician and faculty member at the Aga Khan University Hospital and also serves as the Programme Director of the first Paediatric Neurology Fellowship training in the region.
She serves as honorary faculty for the British Paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA) and the International Child Neurology Training Network (ICNTN). She is a member of the International Child Neurology Association (ICNA), African Child Neurology Association (ACNA), Infantile Seizures Society Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathies (ISS-DEE), The Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Exchange forum, Paediatric Neurology and Development association of Southern Africa (PANDA-SA), African Academy of Neurology (AFAN), World Federation of Neurology (WFN), Kenya Paediatrics Association (KPA) amongst others.
When she is not at work, she devotes her time to family and enjoys music, the arts, travelling, photography, gardening and interior decorating. She responds to ‘Kate” and enjoys a slice of cake from time to time.
Dr Oyieke is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Neurologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Susan Wamithi, BSc, MD, MMed (Paediatrics), UofT (Developmental Paediatrics)Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr Susan Wamithi is a developmental paediatrician at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Birmingham-Southern College, USA. She proceeded to St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada where she was awarded the international peace scholarship. Thereafter, she did her Masters in Medicine, Paediatrics and Child Health at Aga Khan University. She proceeded to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabitation Hospital-University of Toronto for her clinical fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics – subspecialty that provides care for children with disabilities/special needs.
Dr Wamithi established the first developmental paediatrics service at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. She is the Chair of the Scientific committee, Eastern African Academy of Childhood Disability (EAACD) and the Research committee, International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD). She is the Project Director, Kenya, Early Childhood Development project: Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) & American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) collaboration training paediatricians on early childhood development and nurturing care.
Dr Wamithi has collaborated locally and internationally on COVID-19 taskforces, research projects and educational sessions in the field of childhood disability. Her research interests are in gene-environment interactions, the impact of pollution and toxic stress on the developing brain and rehabilitation medicine research with the goal of improving functional independence and quality of life for children with disabilities.
Dr Wamithi is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Developmental Paediatrics at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Syama Sinuff, MBChB, DCH, MRCPCH, Fellowship (Paediatric Hemato-oncology) Senior Instructor
Dr Syama Sinuff is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She attended the University of Sheffield and graduated in 1997. She received a diploma in child health (DCH) from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in London, as well as MRCPCH (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health London), Fellowship (Paediatric Haematology/Oncology) from the University of Alberta and certificate in Paediatric Emergency Medicine from University of Edinburgh. She is also the section head of the Paediatric Casualty.
She has been awarded a grant to study lead poisoning from used lead batteries in children from informal settings. She has a special interest in quality improvement processes, global health and accident prevention. She was nominated as hero Paediatrician by the still a mum organization and also received an award for Academic Leadership from the University of Alberta.
Dr Syama is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Emergency Paediatrician at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Waceke Ng'anga Kombe, MBChB, MMed (Paeds)Assistant Professor
Dr Waceke Ng'anga Kombe is a paediatric gastroenterologist at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. Her mission is to provide quality paediatric and gastroenterology services and instill correct knowledge, skills and competencies to the residents that she instructs.
She completed her MBChB training at University of Nairobi in 2002 and Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health at the same university in 2010. She did a two-year fellowship in Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Red Cross War Memorial Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa and obtained a sub-specialty certificate from the College of Medicine of South Africa in 2015.
Her research interests are on hepatitis B, food allergy, inflammatory bowel disease in Africa and functional GI disorders and their interaction with the microbiota. She is an active member of the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) and Allergy Society of Kenya (ASK), where she serves on the executive committee. She is also a corresponding member of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and a recipient of the 2013 ESPGHAN fellowship scholarship award, and an ESPGHAN travel award in 2016.
Dr Waceke is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and paediatric gastroenterologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Wahu Gitakah, MBChB, MMed (Paeds), Dip (Paediatric Gastroenterology)Senior Instructor
Dr Wahu is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Nairobi in 1992, followed by a MMed degree in Pediatrics and Child Health in 2006. She also completed a postgraduate Diploma in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition from the University of Cape Town School of Child and Adolescent Health in 2013. With a keen interest in Infectious disease, Dr Wahu completed a Diploma in Pediatric Infectious Diseases from the University of Oxford in 2016.
Her current areas of teaching are on infectious syndromes, therapeutics and infection control, bacterial, viral, fungal and prion infections, the immunocompromised host and HIV, tropical diseases, protozoa and mycobacterial diseases, travel medicine, immunization and vaccines.
Dr Wahu’s research interests are in global health and various aspects of paediatric infectious diseases especially vaccinology and the immunosuppressed child.
Dr Wahu is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Grace Mbatia MBChB, MMed, Fellowship (Paediatric Oncology & Transplant)Senior Instructor
Dr Grace Mbatia is a full-time faculty at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa. She trained in joint Paediatric Oncology Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children’s Hospital, Institutions of Harvard Medical School and the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Cairo, Egypt.
Prior to this, she spent two years at the Kenyatta National Hospital volunteering to support academic and clinical services in Pediatric Hemato-onclogy. In addition, she has carried out clinical and health-systems research in the areas of Child Health and Paediatric HIV while working in USAID and WHO-funded projects at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Paediatrics and the Network of AIDS Researchers of East and Southern Africa.
Her interests include medical education, optimizing paediatric oncology care in resource-constrained settings. She is an active member of the Kenya Paediatic Association (KPA) and the American Society of Pediatric Hemato-oncology (ASPH).
Dr Mbatia is also a Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Haemato-oncologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE
Dr Samuel Otido, MBChB, MMed, Fellowship (Paediatric Pulmonology)Senior Instructor
Dr Samuel Otido is a Senior Instructor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa.
Dr Otido graduated from the University of Nairobi in 2005 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). He then completed his MMed in Paediatrics and Child Health from the same University in 2013. He then proceeded to do a 2-year fellowship in Paediatric Pulmonology from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2021.
He is a member of the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA), Respiratory Society of Kenya (ReSoK), Allergy Society of Kenya (ASOK), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), and European Respiratory Society (ERS).
His areas of interests are in paediatric asthma, chronic lung diseases of prematurity, bronchiectasis, and complicated paediatric pneumonia cases. He is also keenly interested in new diagnostic modalities for respiratory illnesses that can assist in reducing childhood mortality from respiratory diseases. Besides conducting busy respiratory inpatient and outpatient services, Dr Otido also offers support and services in the paediatric critical care department.
Dr Otido is also a Consultant Paediatrician and pulmonologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE
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