Meet the Personnel

Professor Peter Waiswa is the Principal investigator on the digital health and innovations project and is a Ugandan medical doctor trained in Public Health.

He graduated with a joint Ph.D. and later a Post-Doctoral fellowship; both as joint degrees/fellowships from Makerere University, Uganda, and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Currently, Dr. Waiswa is an Associate Professor at Makerere University School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Uganda, and also a visiting Researcher at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden since 2013. Prior to joining academia, he worked as a district medical officer with Ministry of Health for 8 years in Uganda.

Professor. Waiswa regularly engages in policy debates, advocacy, and planning at local, national, Africa, and at global level. He is widely published in Maternal Newborn and Child Health and Health Systems. He sits on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Advisory Board for Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.

Professor Peter is the principal investigator on the project.

Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa Kiracho is the co-principal investigator on the digital health and innovation project. She is a Ugandan Female medical doctor who holds two master’s degrees in public health and Health Economics MPH (HE), as well as a doctorate in health systems research from Trinity College Dublin. She has worked at the Makerere University School of Public Health for close to twelve years. Prior to this, she worked at a rural hospital in Uganda.

Her exposure to a rural hospital enabled her to understand the context in which health services in Rural Africa are delivered. She has gained vast experience in managing, conducting, and health related research in a variety of fields. She has specific training and expertise in key research areas that include health systems, health financing, performance-based financing, costing, economic evaluation, maternal and newborn health. 

Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka is a Senior Lecturer in Health Policy Planning and Management at Makerere University School of Public Health (Kampala, Uganda) with a passion and vast experience in health systems strengthening and evidence-based policy making through strengthening of implementation research.

Dr. Suzanne holds a doctorate in Oral epidemiology and international health from the University of Bergen, Norway, a master’s degree in public health, and is a doctor of dental surgery. Dr. Suzanne has led several projects as a PI and Co-PI.

Dr. Suzanne has vast experience in consultancy work funded by several multi-lateral partners that has been acquired over the past 10 years. Dr. Kiwanuka is strongly grounded in knowledge management and the use of evidence to inform policy. Dr. Suzanne gives technical advice on the different project activities, especially on the project’s website.

Charles Opio is the Senior Research Coordinator on the digital health and innovation project. He is Ugandan male with Public Health training and master’s degree in Health Services Research both obtained from Makerere University School of Public Health in Uganda. 

His experience of over six years in multinational public health research organisations in both Public and Private contexts have improved his skill, improved his knowledge and command in the coordination, execution, data synthesis / analyses, and dissemination of public health research and evaluation projects. His training, exposure and experience have equipped him with the tenacity to fill the coordination role in the Digital Health and Innovations Project 

Charles Opio is the Senior Research Coordinator of the Digital Health and Innovations Project

Cynthia Angella Murungi is a Ugandan Female with a bachelor’s degree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Makerere University Business School.

She has over five years’ experience in the banking industry which includes three years of experience in digital payment channels.

Cynthia is the overall project administrator.

Professor Adama Faye is a trained medical doctor with a degree from the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, and additional diplomas in Public Health. His Master’s degrees in Public Health and in Statistics and Methodology of Biomedical Research have allowed him to gain expertise in survey design, implementation and modeling.

The grant to prepare a Doctoral Program (PhD in Public Health) at the University of Montréal was the first supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for Health and Population Support in sub-Saharan Africa. The courses allowed him to become an expert in epidemiology, research methodology and statistical analysis.

Professor Adama is especially well-versed in the statistical analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies. In addition to teaching research methodology at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, he is also the Director of the Institute for Health and Development (ISED). IHe is also Head of the public health service and research support CHU Fann (Dakar-Senegal).

Professor Adama the Co-PI and Hub Director of the francophone side.

Dr. Souleymane Ndiaye is an economist & financier by training. He graduated from the University Iba Der Thiam of Thiès, in Senegal, and holds a Ph.D. in economics, specializing in the digital economy.

He is also an assistant researcher at the Research Center in Economics and Applied Finance of Thiès, and a member of the Finance and Economics Department. Dr. Souleymane is pursuing an academic career during which he has published articles and scientific papers, and written or edited books in the field of digital economics.

His research work on the digital economy remains available in international journals and editions. He has participated in presentations of his research work in the framework of a conference or during several colloquiums and doctoral seminars in Senegal and internationally.

Dr. Souleymane is the project Administrator of Francophone Hub.

Dr Fatoumata Zahra Mohamed Mboup Coulibaly is a qualified health professional with a passion and commitment to improving the lives and opportunities of communities. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a Master's degree in Public Health, which led to her current enrollment in the Ph.D. program.

She has over a year of experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health and development projects for social and behavioral change in communities within the Ministry of Health and Social Action in Senegal. She has also worked for years in various fields of pharmacy.

On the DHPI-R project, she is the francophone project coordinator.

Ms. Judith Grace Amoit is the communications officer for the Digital Health Payment Initiate and Research in Africa Project. She is a female Ugandan with training in journalism and Communication studies and a Master’s degree in Strategic and corporate communications all obtained from Makerere University Kampala, Uganda.

 She is a highly accomplished Strategic and Health communications professional with a remarkable track record of over 4 years in media and communications. Throughout her career, she has diligently pursued her aspirations in Behavioral Change Communication, specifically emphasizing Public Health, particularly in the domains of Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health.

Judith provides invaluable support in communications, knowledge translation, and management in her roles, leveraging her exceptional writing skills. She possesses a demonstrated ability to drive effective health communication strategies, and her expertise extends to content development, project planning, and execution. Judith's contributions have made a significant impact in Uganda and beyond, as she actively engages in projects that extend the reach of her communications prowess.