Drumming for change in Africa: Building Resilient Primary Healthcare Systems, A Focus on Innovations and Sustainability.
Key Speakers
Prepare for an unparalleled intellectual journey as we unveil the distinguished lineup of key speakers for the upcoming WONCA Africa Region Conference 2024. These visionary leaders, trailblazers in their respective fields, are set to ignite discussions, inspire change, and shape the future of medicine.
Prof. Lukoye Atwoli (MBS, MBChB, MMed Psych, PhD, IFAPA The Jena and Hasanali Ajanee Endowed Chair in Medicine Deputy Director, Brain and Mind Institute Professor and Dean, Medical College East Africa)
Drumming for change in Africa: Building Resilient Primary Healthcare Systems, A Focus on Innovations and Sustainability
Prof. Lukoye Atwoli
Keynote Speaker
Prof Atwoli trained in medicine (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MBChB) at Moi University before undertaking specialist training in psychiatry (Master of Medicine in Psychiatry, MMed Psych) at the University of Nairobi, where his MMed dissertation explored posttraumatic stress disorder among Mau Mau Concentration Camp survivors in Nairobi. He later earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, focusing on the epidemiology of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in South Africa.
Prof Atwoli is widely published, and his current research interests are centered on trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder and the genetics of mental disorders, although he also leads and participates in research on children’s and youth mental health, and on HIV and Mental Health. He is a member of the World Mental Health Surveys Consortium that carries out cross-national psychiatric epidemiological research that informs practice and policy globally.
Prof Atwoli is the President of the African College of Neuropsychopharmacology (AfCNP), and the Secretary-General of the African Association of Psychiatrists (AAP). He sits on several advisory boards nationally and internationally. Since 2020, he serves as the Chairperson of the Board of the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, the only specialized mental health care facility in Kenya, and also co-chairs the Board on Global Health of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Prof Atwoli is also the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI).
Prof Atwoli is a social and health rights advocate, and has influenced policy and programmes in the health sector as well as in the political sphere. He has been a strong mental health campaigner and advocate who constantly speaks out for the rights of the disadvantaged in society. As a result of his work in mental health and psychiatry, Prof Atwoli is an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (IFAPA), and has also been awarded one of the highest national honours in Kenya, the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.). in October 2023, Prof Atwoli was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM) as an International Member.
Dr. Luke Allen
Health Equity and Inclusivity.
Dr. Luke Allen
Keynote Speaker
Dr Luke Allen is a family physician and PHC policy advisor to the WHO and World Bank. He has worked and studied at Oxford, Harvard, MIT, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine where he currently leads international mixed-methods studies on improving equitable access to primary care (including in Botswana, Libya, Sudan, and Kenya). He has authored over 100 publications and his work has been featured in the BBC News, the New Scientist, China Global TV, and the Wall Street Journal. Luke sits on the RCGP Thames Valley Faculty board and is a board member at the British Journal of General Practice. He led on many of the supporting documents for the Declaration of Astana and has advised multiple health ministries around the world. Luke was chosen to co-lead the writing of the G7 initiative on PHC and is currently starting a new role as co-director of Oxford’s Centre for Global Primary Care. Luke has three boisterous tweenagers and is married to Jo – a dynamic Anglican vicar.
Associate Prof Klaus von Pressentin (Head: Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care (FaCE) Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Primary Healthcare Research, Innovation and Training.
Dr. Klaus Von Pressintin
Subtheme speaker
Associate Prof Klaus von Pressentin is an academic, primary care researcher, and clinician-educator based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is the head of the Division of Family Medicine and the deputy head of the Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care (FaCE) in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Cape Town. His research focuses on primary care service strengthening (including chronic conditions and palliative care in primary care), human resources for health, as well as health professions education. He teaches primary care research methods, leadership development, clinical governance, evidence-based practice, and consultation skills. His current volunteer activities include serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the South African Family Practice Journal, serving on the Council of the College of Family Physicians of South Africa and serving on the Education and Training Committee of the South African Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Henry J Lawson (MBChB FWACP FGCP ChPA)
Primary Healthcare Delivery Models and Sustainability
Dr. Henry J Lawson
Subtheme speaker
Dr Henry Lawson is a Family Physician who trained, lives and works in Ghana. He is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS). He has been a trainer and examiner for these two institutions. He has trained several Family Physicians for these colleges and supports in supervision of their research. He is a past Secretary, past International Officer and current Member of the Examination Committee and Host Examiner for the Accra Examination centre, Faculty of Family Medicine, WACP. He has received awards for his work with the Ghana Chapter of WACP and the Faculty of Family Medicine at the 43rd AGSM of the WACP in Benin Republic. He is the current Vice Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra, Ghana. He is a senior lecturer and Head of the Family Medicine Unit, University of Ghana Medical School in Accra where he leads a team to teach Family Medicine at the undergraduate level. He supervises research for medical students and postgraduate students of the university. His research interests are medical education and non-communicable diseases in primary care. He has several publications in peer reviewed journal across the world. Henry has served on the Wonca World By-laws Committee and is a current member of the Wonca World Membership and Voting Taskforce. He is a past Secretary for Wonca Africa region Executive and a past Wonca Africa Regional President. Henry is a winner of the Scholars award of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in April 2012. He is a Direct Member of Wonca and a member of the Wonca Working Party on Research. He contributed to a Chapter of the book titled Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care: International Perspectives from the Working Party in April 2024. He has been a member of the Primafamed network in Africa since inception, and an Editorial Board Member of the Africa Journal for Primary Health Care and Family Medicine. He is a certified trainer of the Royal College of Physicians of London. He is also a chartered professional administrator.
Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi
President-elect of WONCA 2023-2025.
(Associate Professor and the Director for Health Equity at Duke University's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in North Carolina, USA.)
Community Engagement and Empowerment.
Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi
Subtheme speaker
Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi is a family doctor, President-elect of WONCA 2023-2025. She is Associate Professor and the Director for Health Equity at Duke University’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in North Carolina, USA.
Originally from Argentina, she is a Diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and award recipient of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. She served as Executive Member-at-Large of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) from 2016-2021 and WONCA liaison to the World Health Organization, and chair of the Organizational Equity committee. She is founder and co-director of LATIN-19, the Latinx Advocacy Team and Interdisciplinary Network for COVID-19, a multisector group addressing Hispanic health during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond. She participates in many boards and advocacy teams including the US President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.
Dr. Aysha Edwards
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- AAR Hospital
Dr. Aysha Edwards
Subtheme speaker
Dr. Aysha Edwards has over a decade of leadership experience and expertise, with an impressive track record of success in the healthcare industry having served in various leadership positions in Kenya and abroad.
Her expertise in strategic planning, operational excellence, and patient-centered care aligns perfectly with AAR Hospital’s mission and values.
In her previous role as Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Edwards played a pivotal role in the commissioning of AAR hospital, which has seen a remarkable emphasis on patient satisfaction, operational efficiency, and expanding the hospital’s reach into new service areas.
Prior to joining AAR Hospital in 2020, Dr. Edwards served at The Nairobi Hospital as an Emergency Medicine Doctor and as the Acting Director of Medical Services and Research. She expertly guided that institution through the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw the establishment of a separate private wing dedicated to the management of COVID-19 patients before joining us in October 2020.
Dr. Edwards has an unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and engagement within AAR hospital, and firmly believes in empowering employees at all levels to contribute to our collective success.
Stay tuned for our official speaker announcements! We assure you that our lineup will exceed expectations, bringing together a diverse array of expertise and thought leadership.
In the meantime, mark your calendars and secure your spot at WONCA Africa Region Conference 2024. Early registration ensures you’ll be among the first to receive updates on our distinguished key speakers and guarantees priority access to session selections.