Elizabeth Wala MBChB

Dr. Elizabeth Wala graduated from the University of Nairobi with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees (MBChB). She holds a Master of Science in Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and sat for the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine in the UK. She has over 13 years’ experience spanning the fields of health care policies, health system management, pharmaceutical medicine and clinical research. She has built networks with local (research institutions, medical schools, the central Ministry of Health and county governments) as well as international partners (WHO, IFC World Bank, IntraHealth, UNFPA, GAVI). She has overseen the design and delivery of pneumonia and rota virus vaccine programs in Kenya and Ethiopia. Kenya was the first GAVI-eligible country to introduce the pneumonia vaccine into its immunisation program barely two years after its introduction in Europe. Her experience in medical affairs in pharmaceutical industry exposed her to interactions with local key opinion leaders (medical doctors and pharmacists) in major health institutions, medical teaching institutions as well as the Ministry of Health. In that capacity, she also mentors young medical doctors. She has presented for and behalf of her various organisations in local and international fora such as scientific conferences in Kenya and beyond, local media briefings on health care policy matters and stakeholder committees with the Ministry of Health. She has participated in the development of several guidelines, bills and policy papers affecting the health sector including the Health Bill, review of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, eHealth regulations, Reproductive Health Bill, the Division of Revenue Bill, Ministry of Health Task sharing policy, Internship Policy, Coroners Bill, the Kenya National Health Quality Improvement Plan and Emergency Medical Services Policy. Her fund-raising strategies have ensured the long-term financial viability of her current organization by turning it around from in less than two years. She has successfully organized four consecutive annual scientific conferences in the years 2013-2015 with international and regional involvement from corresponding medical associations in the East Africa Community (Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somaliland). She is also a collaborative partner in Infospective group: a healthcare consultancy company.