Dr. Christina Mwachari

A. Personal Statement

After completing two years of clinical work at the Ministry of Health, I joined the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in 1991 as an assistant research officer attached to the Welcome Trust Research Laboratories, Nairobi for three years. In 1994, I joined the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for a Master of Science degree and a Diploma in medical microbiology. In 1995, I completed a Diploma in Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians.

Since 1997, as a clinical microbiologist with research experience, I have developed a cohort of HIV-infected adults in collaboration with other researchers while conducting various studies at the Center for Respiratory Diseases in KEMRI. For continuum of care, patients were subsequently enrolled in the CDC PEPFAR-funded Family AIDS Care and Educational Services program at Nairobi sites over time. Currently, the sites are following over 3,000 HIV-infected adults and children. Additionally, I have directed laboratory services at these sites for over 10 years, bringing extensive experience in implementing HIV programs in Nairobi. I have collaborated with both local and international institutions on various research studies in HIV-related reproductive health and respiratory diseases.

Beginning in 2010, I joined the Maryland Global Initiatives as a senior technical advisor for laboratory services. In collaboration with the MOH, I successfully coordinated laboratory systems strengthening in 10 counties in over 100 facilities, mentoring 20 labs towards ISO 15189 accreditation. I have mentored a total of 27 postgraduate students in various universities (4 PhD and 23 Master’s Degree). I have served as an external examiner in the Department of Pathology and Medical Laboratory Sciences at Kenyatta University for the last six years.

In the past three years, I have been part of the training faculty in the collaborative CBEC-KEMRI Bioethics Training Initiative (CK-BTI), funded by the International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Award of the Fogarty International Centre of the National Institutes of Health, USA. In summary, I have the expertise, experience, and inspiration necessary to successfully provide mentorship and training proposed in this training grant application.

Ongoing and recently completed projects that I would like to highlight include:

Ongoing:

GOK IRG SERU 1361

Pulmonary and latent Tuberculosis in public transportation in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Role PI.

Completed:

NIH Small grants (Mwachari, Co-PI) Period 2009-2013

Prime Award No. P30 A/027763-21 REVISED

CFDA No. 93.855

UCSF DPA/Funds Numbers 558063/29664

Amount: $ 23,664

Diagnosing TB in HIV-infected children in Kenya: a substudy of “The impact of Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) in the Prevention of Tuberculosis among HIV-infected children in Kenya

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)”, (Mwachari C, Co-PI, Nairobi site)

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) PS09-962.

Award No: 5U2GPS001913-04

UCSF Subaward No. 6234sc

Amount $ 278,104

WHO (Mwachari, Co-Principal Investigator)                                6/1/02 – 5/31/03

Title: “Supporting the Implementation and Expansion of High Quality HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Activities at Facility and Community Level in the Republic of Kenya.

Citations:

Manaseh BA, Gachohi J, Karanja S, Mwachari C. Mapping Cholera Risk in Nairobi County, Kenya: A Comprehensive Analysis of Environmental, Socio-Economic, and WASH Factors. Afr. J. Health Sci. 2023 36 (3): [286-298].

Manaseh BA, Gachohi J, Karanja S, Mwachari C. Water, Sanitation and Hygienic (WASH) Risk Factors That Promote Cholera Outbreaks in Nairobi County. Afr. J. Health Sci. 2022 36 (2): 104-112].

Musau S, Mwachari C, Kirui E, Junghae M, Lascko T, Blanco N, Abimiku Alash’le, Koech E. Implementing an Intensified Mentorship Approach towards Accelerated Laboratory Accreditation in 10 Counties in Kenya. Journal: African Journal of Laboratory Medicine. (2022) ISSN: 2225-2002, E-ISSN: 2225-2010.

Caroline Wanja Mugo, Msc.; Ziv Shkedy, Samuel Mwalili, Roel Braekers, Dolphine Wandede, Christina Mwachari. Modelling Trends of CD4 counts for patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART): After a change in

WHO guidelines in Kenya. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021.

Zhang G, DeVos J, Medina-Moreno S, Wagar N, Diallo K, R. Beard S, Zheng D, Mwachari C,  Riwa C, Jullu B, Ngugi E,  Wangari,  Kibona M, Ng’Ang’A L, Raizes E, Yang C. Utilization of dried blood spot specimens can expedite nationwide surveillance of HIV drug resistance in resource-limited settings. PloS One 2018, 13 (9): e0203296.

Mutisya R, Ngure K, Mwachari C. A psychosocial intervention to reduce gender-based violence and antepartum depressive symptoms in pregnant women in Kisumu County, Kenya: a quasi-experimental study. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2018; 29:11. doi:10.11604/pamj.2018.29.11.13596.

Mutisya R, Mwachari C, Ngure K. Prevalence and risk factors for gender based violence during pregnancy in Kisumu county Kenya. (2017). EAMJ. 94:7.

Ong’ang’o, J.R., Mwachari, C., and Karanja, S. (2015): A Cost Effect Analysis of Utilising Community Health Workers in the Management of Tuberculosis, Kenya. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. 14 (6) 99-102.

B. Professional Positions Held:

Medical Officer: 1989-1990
Senior Medical Officer: 1990-1991
Assistant Research Officer: 1992-1996
Research Officer: 1997-2001
Senior Research Officer: 2002-2010
Co-Director FACES Program, Nairobi: 2004-2010
Acting Director CRDR: Oct-Nov, 2008
Laboratory Senior Technical Advisor for the University of Maryland Programs in Kenya: 2010 to date
External Examiner at the Kenyatta University: 2013

C. Contributions to Science

HIV –related Opportunistic infections including STIs

My earlier publications were focused on the etiology of HIV-related opportunistic respiratory, diarrheal pathogens and sexually transmitted infections in adult patients. These studies essentially assessed WHO clinical guidelines for adoption in the local context in the pre –ART and early access to ART in Kenya.

1. Mwachari C, Cohen CR, Meier A, Nganga L, Kimari J, Odhiambo J. Respiratory tract infection in HIV-1 infected adults in Nairobi, Kenya: evaluation of risk factors and the WHO treatment algorithm.  J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2001: 27: 365-371
2. Mwachari C, Nduba V, Nguti R, Park DR Sanguli L, Cohen CR. Validation of a new clinical scoring system for Acute Bronchitis. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2007 Nov;11(11):1253-9.
3. Ong’ang’o, J.R., Mwachari, C., and Karanja, S. (2015): A Cost Effect Analysis of Utilising Community Health Workers in the Management of Tuberculosis, Kenya. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. 14 (6) 99-102.
4. Ong’ang’o JR, Mwachari C, Kipruto H, Karanja S. The effects on tuberculosis treatment adherence from utilising community health workers: a comparison of selected rural and urban settings in Kenya.PLoS One. 2014 Feb 18;9(2): e88937

Laboratory Systems Strengthening and Diagnostics

In the past 5 years, my publications were more focused on improving laboratory systems by providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Health to improve access to laboratory services in HIV Care and Treatment programs including HIV Viral load tests, CD4 and TB tests at facility level.

1. Zhang G, DeVos J, Medina-Moreno S, Wagar N, Diallo K, R. Beard S, Zheng D, Mwachari C, Riwa C, Jullu B, Ngugi E, Wangari, Kibona M, Ng’Ang’A L, Raizes E, Yang C. Utilization of dried blood spot specimens can expedite nationwide surveillance of HIV drug resistance in resource-limited settings. PloS One 2018, 13 (9): e0203296.
2. Caroline Wanja Mugo, Msc.; Ziv Shkedy, Samuel Mwalili, Roel Braekers, Dolphine Wandede, Christina Mwachari. Modelling Trends of CD4 counts for patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART): After a change in WHO guidelines in Kenya (In Press). BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021.

Gender Based Violence in Kisumu County

In view of the rising GBV cases in the past 5 years due to increased drug abuse and limited resources within the family setting in Kisumu county. One of my PhD students investigated the issue in depth that resulted in the following publications.

1. Mutisya R, Mwachari C, Ngure K. Prevalence and risk factors for gender based violence during pregnancy in Kisumu county Kenya. (2017). EAMJ. 94:7.
2. Mutisya R, Ngure K, Mwachari C. A psychosocial intervention to reduce gender-based violence and antepartum depressive symptoms in pregnant women in Kisumu County, Kenya: a quasi-experimental
3. study. The Pan African Medical Journal.2018; 29:11.

Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=mwachari+c