Meet The Executive
The YES Zambia Executive team consists of 6 vibrant science enthusiasts with massive experience in research and a keen eye for development.
The YES Zambia Executive team consists of 6 vibrant science enthusiasts with massive experience in research and a keen eye for development.
Dr. Mwansa Ketty Lubeya is an Obstetrics & Gynaecology specialist, faculty at The University of Zambia-School Medicine. She has more than 11 years of post-qualification experience, with administrative skills at different levels.
Dr. Lubeya is a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, a flagship programme for outstanding Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). This selection was in recognition of her community initiative in cervical cancer prevention as well as her proven record of leadership. In 2018, she was named as one of the 2018 inaugural Obama foundation: Africa Leaders cohort. Our CEO is so cool that even Barack Obama (44th POTUS) tweets about her!
Dr Lubeya is an active member of her professional body, Zambia Associaiton of Gynaecologists and is the inaugural editor-in-chief for its newsletter.
In August 2018, as a passionate researcher and seasoned mentor, Dr Lubeya co-founded the YES research mentorship program. This is with a background that, despite mentorship being proven to be a useful tool in the developed world for scientific progression, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) there is lack of recognised sustainable mentorship programs for Young Emerging Scientists.
Mwansa knows and understands that in order to change the African narrative, she has to roll up her sleeves and be involved.
Jane leads the development and implementation of YES programs. She obtained her MBChB from the University of Zambia over a decade ago. She is a specialised physician anaesthesiologist having graduated from the first cohort of the MMed Anaesthesia program headed by Professor John Kinnear through a joint collaboration between the United Kingdom and Zambia.
She was the Primary Anaesthesia outstanding academic performance award recipient resulting in an observorship at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London. She was awarded a PhD scholarship in anaesthesiology and critical care to pursue her dream of becoming a Clinician-Scientist in Japan. She has been involved in various researches and her current theme focuses on the role of Crispr/Cas9-induced truncating BMPR2 mutation on pulmonary arterial hypertension.
She is keen about addressing the challenges faced in research from the grassroots, has over 8 years’ experience in medical education and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Chileshe coordinates the projects and grants under YES Zambia. She is a medical doctor and early-career clinical investigator based in Lusaka. She undertook medical internship training in Chipata, an experience that stimulated her desire to address health challenges at population level, particularly through the generation of locally-relevant scientific evidence.
In 2017, Chileshe was selected to participate in the competitive Health Corps Fellowship, hosted by the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). At CIDRZ, she worked as a Clinical Research Fellow in the Enteric Disease and Vaccines Research Unit, investigating paediatric and adult diarrheal diseases of public health interest. She is currently undertaking a second research training fellowship with the UNC-UNZA-Wits Partnership for HIV and Women’s Health Research (UUW), focusing on the understanding and prevention of preterm birth.
Her primary area of interest is maternal and neonatal health, with a focus on exploring the immunological basis of obstetric syndromes, using placentally-derived biomarkers to predict diseases of pregnancy, and inform the development of therapeutic interventions. She is dedicated to and excited about increasing research interest, capacity and output in Zambian clinics.
Dr. Mercy Monde Imakando is an Obstetrician Gynaecologist at the Women and Newborn Hospital - University Teaching Hospitals, and Staff Development Fellow at the University of Zambia. She is the liaison who coordinates all the activities of the YES mentees. She has seven years post qualification experience and is also serving as President of Ebenezer Medical Mission, a non-profit making organization whose major tasks are health education and community health outreach. Her main professional interests are in the field of urogynaecology with a bias towards obstetric fistulas. She would like to build evidence around fistulas through both qualitative and quantitative research. Her passion has grown tremendously with her attachment to the urogynae team where she has enjoyed hands on surgical experience as well as getting to hear patients' stories which are heart breaking many times. She wishes to do more at a preventative level.
Dr. Imakando’s contributions to science include, but are not limited to research on “Knowledge and Attitude of Labour Pain Relief Amongst Pregnant Women” for her master of medicine thesis 2015-2019. She worked as an assistant researcher in the DHA (Docosahexanoic acid) study 2017-2018 which investigated food and nutrition of antenatal women and their blood levels of DHA (ὼ3)-Omega 3 fats. In 2017, she participated in writing a fundable proposal sponsored by RHD Action whose grant focused on community education of women of reproductive age on Rheumatic heart fever/Disease. From 2015 to 2016 she participated in a ground breaking research - a worldwide clinical trial, (The WOMAN TRIAL) focusing on the use of Tranexamic acid in the management of postpartum haemorrhage.
Dr. Imakando is excited to be part of the YES Zambia, as she wishes to see young scientists take centre stage in using research as a key driver to solving problems directing affecting our local health practice.
Naeem manages YES e-learning portal and online mentorship. He is a qualified medical doctor currently pursuing a Masters of Medicine Degree in Psychiatry.
He enjoys exploring issues beyond the boundaries of conventional health care and focuses on preventive health. He uses journalism and community outreach to teach the art of not needing medicine. Naeem couples his passion and skills to mentor, deliver leadership talks and promote psychological resilience among youth in Zambia. He often features on national TV and media programs to advocate and empower individuals to solve their own challenges rather than waiting for solutions.
Driven by his passion for neuroscience and research, he is a fellow of the International Brain Research Organization and he aspires to promote through Young Emerging Scientists to learn, explore, communicate, share, and above all to promote research.
Mable provides YES administrative support. She is a psychosocial counselor in both adult and child health where she has experience in handling: HIV/AIDS, rape and defilement cases extensively.
She worked as a cervical cancer peer educator under the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) for 2 years and later on as a community tracking officer at UTH for 3 years. Furthermore, she has worked as a receptionist at Mulenga Mundashi Kasonde Legal Practitioners and MTN call center agent both of which were cardinal in shaping her interpersonal and analytical skills.
She is currently working as a research assistant with the University of North Carolina based at the University Teaching Hospital were they are looking at which of the three methods: cryotherapy, thermocoagulation and LEEP of treating precancerous cervical lesions is better, cheaper and effective under the auspices of Professor Grosbeck Parham.
