The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) announced appointment of Prof. Samuel Kariuki as its new Eastern Africa Director.
Prof. Samuel Kariuki, a former Acting Director General at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), brings more than two decades of experience in medical research and development in fields including antimicrobial resistance, foodborne infections, and neglected tropical diseases.
Before taking up the role of Acting Director General, he was KEMRI’s Director of Research and Development and Director of the KEMRI Centre for Microbiology Research.
KEMRI is a founding partner of DNDi and a leading institution of excellence in health research in Africa.
‘I am honoured to join DNDi Eastern Africa to help drive DNDi’s mission of bringing the best science for the most neglected,’ said Prof. Kariuki. ‘Our region has made great strides combatting neglected diseases, demonstrating Africa’s capacity to find solutions to its own problems. I look forward to continuing the legacy of researchers, health workers, and communities who have worked tirelessly with DNDi to develop new treatments for neglected diseases over the past 20 years.’
Prof. Kariuki succeeds Dr Monique Wasunna, who steps down after 20 years of successfully heading DNDi Eastern Africa. She will now serve as a DNDi Africa Ambassador, further articulating DNDi’s work in relation to Africa’s health priorities and African stakeholders, as well as playing a vital role in raising awareness of neglected diseases and strengthening partnerships to amplify DNDi’s impact.
From 2003 to 2023, Dr Wasunna served as DNDi Eastern Africa Regional Director and contributed significantly to the expansion of the organization’s clinical research capacity.
During her tenure, over ten clinical trials were conducted in the region to find new safe and accessible treatments for visceral leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis and HIV co-infection, and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis. Additionally, the first-ever clinical trial for mycetoma and clinical trials for a new paediatric ‘4-in-1’ HIV treatment were concluded.
Dr Wasunna was the founding chair of the Leishmaniasis East Africa Platform (LEAP) – which has worked since 2003 to build capacity for clinical trials in Africa and carry out clinical research in remote settings to the highest international standards. With her guidance, the Data Management and Biostatistics Centre was established in Nairobi to provide statistical analysis for clinical trials conducted by DNDi and other research organizations.
She also established strong partnerships with ministries of health, academia, public research institutions, embassies, the African Union, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and global pharmaceutical companies.
