Githinji Gitahi
{{Short description|Kenyan medical doctor}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Notability|1=Biographies|date=April 2022}}
{{Cleanup press release|1=article|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Githinji Gitahi
| image = File:Dr._Githinji_Gihati.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Dr. Githinji Gihati
| birth_name = Githinji Gitahi
| birth_date = {{Birth-date and age|7 August 1970}}
| birth_place = Othaya Village, Nyeri County
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =University of Nairobi
{{small|(Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery)}},
{{small|(Master in Marketing)}},
Harvard University
{{small|(Certificate for Strategic Perspective for Nonprofit MGT)}}
| occupation = Physician researcher and public administrator
| nationality = Kenyan
| citizenship =
| known_for = Public administration
| honorific_prefix = Dr.
| title = Group Chief Executive Officer at Amref Health Africa Group {{Cite web |first=Cyprian |last=Kimutai |date=10 May 2022 |url=https://www.pulselive.co.ke/lifestyle/careers/amref-ceo-appointed-to-global-body-tasked-with-preventing-pandemics/jg3167z |title=AMREF CEO appointed to global body tasked with preventing pandemics|website=Pulselive.co.ke|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608091946/https://www.pulselive.co.ke/lifestyle/careers/amref-ceo-appointed-to-global-body-tasked-with-preventing-pandemics/jg3167z|archive-date=8 June 2023|url-status=live}}
| relatives = Stephen Kiama (brother)
}}
Githinji Gitahi is a Kenyan medical doctor who serves as the Global Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa as well a former co-chair of the UHC2030 Steering Committee.{{Cite web|first=Javira |last=Ssebwami |website=PML Daily|date=9 July 2021 |url=https://www.pmldaily.com/features/health/2021/07/amref-ceo-dr-gitahi-appointed-to-the-new-commission-on-african-covid-19-response.html|title=Amref CEO Dr. Gitahi appointed to the new commission on African COVID-19 response}} In July 2021, he was appointed as a Commissioner in the Africa COVID-19 Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/16994969|title=Gitahi Githinji, Amref Health Africa: Profile and Biography|website=Bloomberg.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://hapakenya.com/2021/07/03/dr-githinji-gitahi-has-been-appointed-as-a-commissioner-for-covid-19-response-in-africa/|title=Dr. Githinji Gitahi has been appointed as a Commissioner for COVID-19 response in Africa|first=Grace|last=Matheka|date=July 3, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.monitor.co.ke/2021/07/02/dr-githinji-gitahi-appointed-to-the-new-commission-on-african-covid-19-response-by-south-africa-president-h-e-cyril-ramaphosa/|title=Dr Githinji Gitahi Appointed to the New Commission on African COVID-19 Response by South Africa President, H.E Cyril Ramaphosa|date=July 2, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.devex.com/news/perspectives-on-change-dr-githinji-gitahi-and-patrick-lembwakita-100185 | title=Perspectives on change: Dr. Githinji Gitahi and Patrick Lembwakita | date=23 June 2021 }}
Early life and education
Githinji was born on 7 August 1970 in Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya. In 1996, he graduated from University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Medicine and surgery and a Masters degree of Business Administration in Marketing from United States International University (on going).{{Cite web|url=https://worldconference.croix-rouge.fr/dr-githinji-gitahi/?lang=en|title=Dr Githinji Gitahi|website=WorldConference}}{{Cite web|url=https://kenyanwallstreet.com/juliana-rotich-former-nmg-md-githinji-gitahi-appointed-to-the-board-of-standard-group/|title=Juliana Rotich & Former NMG MD Githinji Gitahi appointed to the Board of Standard Group - Kenyan Wallstreet|date=March 19, 2018}} He holds a Certificate for Strategic Perspective for Non Profit Management from Harvard University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theknowledgewarehouseke.com/dr-githinji-gitahi-top-25-ceos-setting-the-business-agenda-in-2021/|title=Dr Githinji Gitahi: Top 25 CEOs setting the business agenda in 2021 ||date=February 9, 2021}}
Career
Gitahi has worked both in public and private sector in various positions such as a medical officer and Quality Manager at Avenue Group (1996-2000), as a Medical Services Manager at Madison Insurance Limited (2000-2001), as a medical Medical Marketing Manager and Group Product Manager for Panadol and Hedex at Glaxo SmithKline (2001-2004),{{Cite web|url=http://healthsciences.uonbi.ac.ke/index.php/alumni/dr-githinji-gitahi|title=Dr. Githinji Gitahi | FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES|website=healthsciences.uonbi.ac.ke}} as a Marketing Manager at Glaxo SmithKline East Africa (2005-2006){{Cite web|url=https://flydoc.org/team/dr-githinji-gitahi/|title=Dr. Githinji Gitahi}} as the Head of Marketing Expert Relations at Glaxo SmithKline Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East (October 2006-August 2007).{{Cite web|url=https://amref.org/githinji-gitahi/|title=Dr Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/science-health/africacdc-health-agency-of-african-union-3707640|title=African leaders elevate AfricaCDC to autonomous health agency of AU|date=February 7, 2022|website=The East African}}
From August 2006 to 2009, Gitahi was the Managing Director for Monitor Publications Limited in Uganda as well as General Manager for Marketing and Circulation in East Africa for the Nation Media Group (August 2009-December 2011). Between March 2008 to December 2001, he held senior positions at GlaxoSmithKline and worked at the Avenue Group.
Gitahi currently serves as Global Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa since June 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/monitor-gets-new-md-board-chairperson-1503310|title = Monitor gets new MD, board chairperson|date = 24 January 2021}} He is co-chair of the UHC2030 Steering Committee. He has presented as a speaker at medical conferences both inside and outside Africa such as Health Systems Global Symposium 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://healthsystemsresearch.org/hsr2018/speakers/githinji-gitahi/|title=Githinji Gitahi}} and Health & Climate Change conference 2019.{{cite web | url=https://pmnch.who.int/about-pmnch/biography/githinji-gitahi-ab2021 | title=Biography }}
In 2023, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Gitahi as one of 22 member of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement's lead group.[https://press.un.org/en/2023/sga2208.doc.htm Secretary-General Appoints Global Leaders to Spearhead Fight against Malnutrition at Critical Moment for Food, Nutrition Security] United Nations, press release of 1 June 2023.
Other activities
- World Health Organization, Member of the Community Health Worker Hub
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Member of the Governing Board, Member of the Private Sector Advisory Board
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Member of the Board and Scientific Advisory Committee (since 2022){{cite web | url=https://cepi.net/news_cepi/new-expert-appointments-to-cepis-board-and-scientific-advisory-committee | title=New expert appointments to CEPI's Board and Scientific Advisory Committee }}
- Standard Group, Member of the Board of Directors{{Cite web|url=https://ahaic.org/speaker/dr-githinji-gitahi/|title=Dr Githinji Gitahi}}
- Safaricom Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/16/world/africa/africa-vaccination-rollout.html|title = Africa's Covid Crisis Deepens, but Vaccines Are Still Far off|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 16 July 2021|last1 = Dahir|first1 = Abdi Latif}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pulselive.co.ke/news/kenya-is-set-to-receive-550000-covid-19-vaccines-from-thailand-through-covax/r3w1ljf|title=Thailand to offer COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya|first=Cyprian|last=Kimutai|date=February 12, 2022|website=Pulselive Kenya}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelancet.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Gitahi,+Githinji|title=Lancet - Search Results|website=www.thelancet.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.safaricomfoundation.org/leadership/dr-githinji-gitahi-mbs-2/|title=Safaricom Foundation|website=www.safaricomfoundation.org}}
- WomenLift Health, Member of the Global Advisory Board[https://www.womenlifthealth.org/global-advisory-board Global Advisory Board] WomenLift Health.
Honors
On 12 December 2018, Githinji was awarded a presidential commendation of Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear in recognition for his contribution to the health sector at Amref Health Africa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ureport/article/2001262962/four-kinds-of-people-uhuru-kenyatta-gave-national-honours-on-jamhuri-day|title=Four kinds of people Uhuru Kenyatta gave national honours on Jamhuri Day|first=Robert|last=Abong'o|website=The Standard}}{{cite web |first=Uhuru|last=Kenyatta|url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/list-recipients-of-uhurus-jamhuri-day-awards/|website=Nairobi News|title=List: Recipients of Uhuru’s Jamhuri Day awards|date=12 December 2018|access-date=2021-09-27}}
Personal life
Githinji is a brother to Stephen Kiama the Vice Chancellor at University of Nairobi.{{Cite web|first=
Elvis|last= Ondieki |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/lifestyle/where-leadership-runs-in-family-1905990?view=htmlamp|title=Nature vs nurture: Where leadership runs in the family | Kenya|website=nation.africa|date=25 July 2020 }}
References
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Category:Kenyan chief executives
Category:20th-century Kenyan physicians