Dr. Zipporah Ali has recently retired from the position of Executive Director of Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA), a position she held for 15 years. She serves on the board of several organizations including; Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association, International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN), City Cancer Challenge, Alzheimer/Dementia Kenya, Public Health and Palliative Care International, and Kenya Network of Cancer Organizations (KENCO). She has previously served on several other global, regional, and national boards.

Dr. Ali has been and continues to be involved in advocacy and creating awareness on pain relief and palliative care in Kenya for children and adults as well as Universal Health Coverage. In her leadership role as the Executive Director for KEHPCA, she was very instrumental in fostering strong relationships with the Ministry of Health to integrate palliative care into government hospitals. She was also instrumental in advocating for palliative care to be included in the undergraduate medical and nursing schools in Kenya. She is a strong advocate for cancer prevention, control, and treatment and was instrumental in developing the first National Cancer Control Strategy and the National Guidelines for Cancer Management-Kenya. She has also advocated for palliative care to be integrated into other non-communicable diseases as well as infectious diseases.

Dr. Ali has been involved in a number of activities at the World Health Assembly (Geneva) and the UN High-Level Meetings on Non-communicable diseases. She is a strong advocate for the right to health for all and a supporter of the movement on meaningful involvement of persons living with serious health conditions and leaving no one behind.

Dr. Ali holds an MD from Ege University, Izmir, Turkey, a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Nairobi, a Higher Diploma in Palliative Care from Oxford Brookes University, and a Masters in Palliative Care from the University of Dundee. She has completed the International Pain Policy Fellow program with the International Pain Policy Studies Group (WHO Collaborating Centre for Policy and Communication in Cancer Care, University of Wisconsin) as well as a Higher Diploma in the International Palliative Care Leadership Development Initiative at The Institute of Palliative Medicine at the San Diego Hospice.

She has received a number of awards in recognition of her work nationally and globally. These include:

• Doctor of Law Honoris Causa-University of Dundee (2018)
• International Humanitarian Award-Women4Africa (2018)
• Social Impact Award for the Sub-Saharan Africa region-British Council (2018)
• Honorary Doctor of the University by Oxford Brookes University (2012)
• Individual Advocacy Award by the African Palliative Care Association and Open Society Foundations (2013
• African Palliative Care Award –(In recognition for being on the interim board and later serving on the board for 2 teams) -2007

Jerry Ndumbalo is a Consultant Clinical and Radiation oncologist, Lecturer, and Researcher at Ocean Road Cancer Institute and MUHAS with over 15 years of clinical experience and is currently the Founder and First President of the Tanzania Oncology Society (TOS). 

Dr Ndumbalo is a holder of a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Dar es Salaam in 2006, Master’s of Medicine (MMED) in Radiation and Clinical Oncology from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, in 2016, and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA-General Management) from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in June 2022. 

With vast research interests in clinical research and global health, he has published over 15 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He is currently serving as a Principal and Co-investigator on numerous projects, including Guideline development and implementation studies, Cervical Cancer and HIV (BMSF), Automated Contouring and Planning (AROMA-C), and Breast CHARTA study. 

He has actively participated in and led several technical working groups, including the African Cancer Coalition (ACC), which partners with NCCN in developing Harmonised Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa. In this Coalition, he chaired the Cervical cancer working group. He was a member in developing NCCN harmonized treatment guidelines for Esophageal, Gastric, Colorectal, Ovarian, Prostate, ALL, and AML. He also chaired the technical work to establish the 1st Tanzania National Cancer Treatment Guidelines in 2020. To ensure its utilization, he led ORCI/UCSF team to develop implementation strategies to increase the guideline uptake in Tanzania. He is a reviewing committee member for the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) and National Essential Medicines List for Tanzania. 

Dr. Ndumbalo is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and was recently awarded International Development and Education Award (IDEA 2022). He is a member of the Africa Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), serving on its Research Committee in 2020/2021. He also holds membership in the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). He is a board member of the Tanzania Non-Communicable Diseases Association (TNCDA).
 

Dr. Catherine Nyongesa Watta is a Clinical/Radiation Oncologist at Texas Cancer Centre Nairobi and Kenyatta National Hospital, with over 10 years of experience in Oncology conducting inpatient and outpatient management of cancer patients. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery (University of Nairobi), Master of Medicine in Radiation Oncology (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), and a Fellowship (FC Rad Onc) in Radiation Oncology from the College of Radiation Oncologists of South Africa. Among the key organizations, she has been a member of, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Health Professions Council of South Africa, and International Gynecologic Cancer Society.

She has received a number of awards in recognition of her work nationally and globally. These include:

1. Conquer Cancer Foundation (2011, ASCO Annual Meeting),
2. IDEA (International Development Education Award- ASCO, 2009)
3. IGCS (International Gynecologic Cancer Society) Travelling Scholarship Award 2008
4. Employee excellence award KNH 2007,
5. MMED dissertation paper passed with distinction 2005 at University of the Witwatersrand, SA.
6. Best O level and A level student Misikhu Girls High school (St Cecilia)

She is one of the founders of the Texas Cancer Center Nairobi.

She is also the first female radiation oncologist in Kenya.

Dr. Catherine Nyongesa is the acting head of Department at the Cancer Treatment Centre Kenyatta National Hospital.

Honorary lecturer university of Nairobi.

Dr. Nanji is a surgeon-scientist with the Department of Surgery at Queen’s University. He has earned a MD, PhD, and designation as a clinical investigator through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has dual fellowship accreditation in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery as well as multi-visceral organ transplantation. His clinical training and research interests have provided opportunities to work in several institutions including the Universities of British Columbia, Alberta and Toronto as well as Emory University, Kings College Hospital in London, UK and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). His current research interests in oncology complement his clinical practice in the surgical treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies. He conducts translational research in the epigenetics of human liver cancer to better risk stratify and treat patients with liver cancer. He also conducts epidemiological and health services research in HPB malignancies through the Cancer Research Institute at Queen’s University. More recently, he is completing a Master’s degree in Global Surgery to advance his clinical and academic interests in global surgical development. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys playing guitar, martial arts and spending time outdoors with his wife and 3 children.

Chief Medical Specialist MTRH 2 Clinical & Radiation Oncology
Director: Hemato-Oncology Directorate, Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, Eldoret Kenya

Positions and Honors

2006 – 2007 Medical officer intern at Kitale District Hospital

2008 – 2010 Medical Officer Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital

2010 – 2015 Residency training in Clinical and Radiation Oncology – University of Stellenbosch, and Fellowship of the College of Radiation Oncologists of South Africa.
2015 – Date Medical Specialist MTRH 4, Consultant in Clinical and Radiation Oncology at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).

2017 November to Date: Director- Directorate of Hemato-Oncology MTRH 2019June: Senior Medical Specialist MTRH 3

2022 September: Chief Medical Specialist MTRH 2

Peer-reviewed Publication

Results of Radioactive Iodine (131I) Therapy in Well Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study from the Tygerberg Hospital.
D. Acullu 1* A. E. Fourie 2, K. Baatjes 3 and E. J. Opakas 4 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283708956_Results_of_Radioactive
_Iodine_131I_Therapy_in_Well_Differentiated_Thyroid_Carcinoma_A_Retrospe ctive_Study_from_the_Tygerberg_Hospital

Radiotherapy in the management of carcinoma of the vulva in HIV positive and negative patients : an institutional experience; Jesse Elungat Opakas https://www.academia.edu/66075078/Radiotherapy_in_the_management_of_ carcinoma_ of_the_vulva_in_HIV_positive_and_negative_patients_an_institutional_experie nce 2015

Dr Melly is a Medical Doctor and Cancer Expert. He is the current CEO of the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K).

Dr Melly is highly skilled and knowledgeable with experience at the local, regional, and global levels in clinical care, training, research, and program development and growth, He believes in value-based, transformative leadership and governance.

Dr Melly is gifted in building partnerships and collaborations. He is a true advocate of service to humanity without fear or favor.