MBChB (UON), MMed (Path), FCPath-ECSA.
Jessie Githanga is an Adjunct Associate Professor for research in the Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has over 30 years teaching experience in haematology at the Faculty of Medicine to undergraduate and postgraduate students and has supervised PHD and masters’ student thesis/dissertations. As an honorary consultant in haematology at the Kenyatta National Hospital for 30 years, she provided clinical and laboratory services in haematology and pediatric haemato-oncology. She is/has been a Principal Investigator (PI) in over 15 clinical trials in sickle cell disease and oncology (Phase I to Phase IV) and was instrumental in setting up multidisciplinary research center for clinical trials at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
She is/has been a PI in collaborative research in childhood cancer in Kenya. She is widely published in peer-reviewed journals and has made scientific presentations at many local and international conferences.
In the public sector, she has been a member of several Ministry of Health technical working groups in cancer and sickle cell disease and has been involved in the in-service training of healthcare workers of all cadres. She sits on the Executive Committee of the Nairobi City Cancer Challenge established by the City Cancer Challenge Foundation that seeks to improve access to equitable, quality cancer care.
She is a Founder Member College of Pathologists of East, Central and Southern Africa; Kenya Society for Haematology and Oncology; Board Member of the Kenya Network of Cancer Organizations; founder trustee/board member of Kenya Childhood Cancer Trust, Member of Kenya Association of Clinical Pathologists and a member of the Advisory Board of the Human Quality Assurance Services.
Prof Githanga has received various awards for professionalism and service including from Kenya Network for Cancer Organizations (2025), Health Education Africa Resource Team (2025), Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital (2023), Kenya Society for Haematology and Oncology (2022), and the CEO Global award for Most Influential Women in Africa and the Lifetime Achievement Regional Award for Education and Training (2015).