Regional Coordinator Gichinga Ndirangu

As HAI Africa Coordinator, Mr Ndirangu oversees day to day management, planning and implementation of the organization’s work programme as mandated by the board. Mr Ndirangu is a lawyer by training with significant experience in media and policy advocacy work. He has served in various lead management roles in civil society previously as Global Head of Action Aid’s International trade policy team and more recently, as the Southern Africa Regional Policy Advisor with Oxfam International where he focused primarily on HIV and AIDS advocacy. He has previously undertaken research and advocacy in the areas of health and access to medicines

Christa CepuchDirector of Programmes

After graduating from University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy, Ms Cepuch went on to complete a one year clinical residency program. She practised and taught clinical pharmacy for ten years on the General Internal Medicine service at the university-based St Michael's Hospital Toronto. 

Before joining HAI Africa in 2004, she worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for two years, supporting the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines for the MSF projects active in Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan.

During her time at HAI she has managed the 2001 - 2007 DFID-funded project entitled "WHO - HAI Africa Collaboration for Action on Essential Medicines in Africa" and various other projects on both Access and Rational Use of Medicines. She was appointed Director of Programs in July 2009.

Dorothy Okemo
Administration and Finance Manager

As Administration and Finance Manager, Ms Okemo is responsible for the effective and efficient financial and administrative management of HAI Africa.

Ms. Okemo has diplomas in Office and Personnel Management and Business Administration from the Pitman Training Group, UK and the Kenya National Examination Council. She is also currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in International Relations at the United States International University -Africa.

Her professional career begun in an International Telecommunication company based in Nairobi. She then moved into the NGO sector and worked with the Pharmaceutical Program of the World Council of Churches now Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network as a Bilingual Secretary. Ms. Okemo moved to the African Airlines Association, where she worked as the Personal Assistant to the Corporate & Industry Affairs, Legal, Finance and Administration Director before joining HAI Africa in March 2004.


Redemtor AtienoCommunications and Network Officer
Ms Atieno’s primary responsibility is expanding and maintaining the HAI Africa network in sub-Saharan countries, providing quality, timely information to HAI Africa partners and the office staff and editing and producing HAI Africa communications.

She is an accomplished journalist with a wealth of experience in communications spanning over 8 years and has acquired excellent experience and skills in writing and editing over the years. She also has skills in multimedia for the web and practical knowledge of updating and managing websites, blogging, and researching. Before joining HAI Africa in 2009, Ms Atieno worked at the Eastern Africa Sub Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) in Uganda.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Communication from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and a Diploma in Journalism from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC). She also has a Certificate in Gender, Project Planning and Management from Makerere University in Uganda.


Moses KolaHAI Africa Accountant

As Accountant, Mr.Kola is responsible for the maintenance of accurate and timely financial management of HAI Africa's accounts.

He holds a Bachelor of Education in Accounts and Economics from the University of Nairobi. In addition to this, he is also a CPA(K) finalist

Mr. Kola worked as an assistant accountant with Resolution Health East Africa Ltd., a medical service provider before joining HAI Africa in 2005.

Mr. Sisule F. MusunguSisule F. Musungu is an independent legal researcher and policy analyst on innovation for development, access to knowledge and intellectual property. His research interests are human rights law especially economic, social and cultural rights.

Mr. Musungu has authored many publications and papers and spoken at many international conferences on these issues as well as consulted for, and or acted as an advisor to various UN agencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and national governments.

Some of his recent work and publications include, among others: "The Use of Flexibilities in TRIPS by Developing Countries: Can they Promote Access to Medicines?" (with Cecilia Oh), South Centre and WHO, Geneva: 2006; and "Rethinking Innovation, Development, and Intellectual Property in the UN: WIPO and Beyond", Issues Papers No. 5, QIAP, Ottawa: 2005.

Mr. Musungu, who is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya holds law degrees from the University of Pretoria and the University of Nairobi as well as a Post-graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. He is currently writing his PhD thesis on graduation in patent law at the University of Bern in Switzerland and is also a Senior Samuelson Fellow, Information Society Project and Associate Research Scholar at the Yale Lae Law School, Yale University.

Previously, Mr Musungu worked as the Coordinator of the Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme at the South Centre in Geneva and as an associate at the law firm Hamilton, Harrison and Mathews in Nairobi.

Mr. Jacob OnyangoMr. Jacob Onyango works for the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS), a Christian non-profit making organization based in Nairobi, Kenya.

As the head of the Finance Department at MEDS, Mr Onyango is responsible for the overall management of the Finance and Information Communication Technology (ICT). 

Mr Onyango joined the HAI Africa Board in 2006. He has extensive experience in accounting, financial planning and management garnered from working in the insurance sector for seven years, one year with a financial investments company, before moving to MEDS where he has worked for the last ten years. 

Mr Onyango is a certified chartered accountant, a certified public secretary and has a diploma in business management. He is also currently studying for a law degree at the University of Nairobi.

Mrs. Aarti PatelMrs. Aarti Patel (MPharm. Durban-Westville) lectures at the School of Pharmacy of the University of Otago, New Zealand.

She is currently on the advisory board of the World Health Organisation-Health Action International working group tasked with developing a methodology to undertake medicines pricing studies in developing countries.

• Medicines policy issues, both international and national, especially in developing countries;
• Promoting Rational Drug Use through training of paramedical health workers.
• Role of consumer groups in rational use of medicines and improving access to essential medicines.

Mrs. Patel's publications include:

1. Kishuna A.  Drug Pricing Survey in KwaZulu-Natal. Essential Drugs Monitor (World Health Organisation, Essential Drugs Programme), No.32, 2003, pg. 4 -5.
2. Kishuna A and Smit J. Assessing Pharmaceutical Services at primary care clinics in KwaZulu-Natal: An indicator-based approach. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol 7 (3) September 1999.
   

Presentations:

1. Patel A: A New Approach to Measuring Drug Prices: Results of the WHO/HAI Drug Pricing Project's South African Pilot Study. Podium presentation at the Strategies for Enhancing Access to Medicines (SEAM) Conference: Targeting Improved Access, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, 10 - 12 December 2003.
2. Orrell C., Kishuna A. Problem-based rational drug use train-the-trainers programme. Poster presentation at the International Conference on Improving Use of Medicines, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 1- 4 April, 1997.

Donna Kusemererwa is the Executive Director of the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network. She works closely with international and technical agencies to support churches and church health systems strengthen pharmaceutical services and increase access to essential medicines.  

Previously Donna was the Chief Executive Officer of Joint Medical Store in Uganda the leading non- government pharmaceutical supply agency in that country. She has also worked as a lecturer of toxicology and forensic pharmacy at Makerere University in Uganda.  

A pharmacist by training with advanced degrees in pharmacy and business administration, Donna has extensive experience and expertise in management, pharmaceutical systems development and medicines policy development.  

HAI's strength is enabling consumers, health care providers, public interest NGOs and policy makers to collaborate based on mutual interests and common positions to advocate for policy changes to improve health for all.

Partners work together to respond rapidly to priority issues by sharing information and expertise.  Collaboration creates a broad base of support and ensures that the concerns of diverse communities are communicated at local, regional and international levels.