Featured Experts
Azhee Akinrin
Principal, Global Health
Azhee is a specialist in data and information collection and provides analysis to advise on top market entry recommendations for new diagnostics. She brings more than 16 years of global health experience which has been fuelled by her resolve to facilitate equitable access to life-saving medicines and technologies to alleviate preventable deaths and diseases. Prior to this, she evaluated procurement and supply chain management of the Global Fund’s investments as an LFA PSM expert in Nigeria. At the Clinton Health Access Initiative, she tackled bottlenecks to commodities and services access in Nigeria, and similarly, provided market shaping and technical writing for the Global Drug Facility. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
Courage Matiza
Manager, Policy and Public Affairs
Courage Matiza has a decade of experience in global health, dedicated to building healthcare systems and improving health outcomes in Africa, Asia, and North America. He specializes in policy development, advocacy, financial strategies, data utilization, and program implementation. His career began as a research project manager at the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology. Subsequently, at World Congress, he convened C-suite executives from the US healthcare system, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industry to exchange knowledge aimed at enhancing healthcare outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities. Courage worked at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, supporting their efforts in sexual reproductive health, maternal and neonatal health, tuberculosis, and health financing across Africa and Asia. Notably, he managed the Catalytic Opportunity Fund, championing government-led initiatives to increase access to contraceptives for adolescents and young women. Additionally, he lent his expertise to health systems strengthening initiatives, with a central focus on enhancing healthcare professionals' capacity to yield improved outcomes in maternal and neonatal health. He holds dual Bachelor's degrees in African History and Biophysics and Biochemistry from Amherst College, as well as a Master's degree in Global Health from the University of Edinburgh.
Dr Sonia Osi
Associate, Global Health
Dr. Sonia Osi Associate, Global Health A clinician by training, Sonia received her medical degree from the University of Debrecen, Hungary and was a front-line worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, she has an MSc in International Health Management obtained from the Imperial College Business School, London. As a Global Health Associate at Market Access Africa (MAA), Sonia supports clients by building their capabilities in several areas, including: market access, production introduction strategy, due diligence/feasibility assessments and stakeholder engagement. Her recommendations inform market launches for diagnostic and therapeutic products in Africa. Prior to joining MAA, Sonia garnered significant experience in working in various facets of the healthcare industry, as a clinician and as a healthcare consultant, in Hungary, the UK and Nigeria. Her experience includes working as a Strategy Analyst for the Anadach Group, a Healthcare Implementation Consultant for Utopian Consulting International and a Life Sciences Analyst for CBPartners.
Judy W Kanyugo
Head of Finance and Client Operations
Judy W Kanyugo is Head of Finance and Client Operations at Market Access Africa. Judy oversees the Finance and Operations functions of MAA and is a business partner to the senior leadership team. Judy is an experienced Finance professional with expertise in finance operations, strategic planning, forecasting and resource allocation. Judy has experience in talent management and operational excellence. Judy has worked with multinational healthcare organizations, including Cepheid Diagnostics and Life Sciences as the Controller for Africa, Roche as Head of Finance Sub-Sahara Africa and GlaxoSmithKline as Finance Planning and Analysis Manager. Judy holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce-Accounting from the University of Nairobi, is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA, K) and Certified Public Secretary (CPS, K).
Kareem Adeniji
Lead Consultant, West Africa
Kareem specializes in market landscape research analysis to uncover supply and demand insights and provide market evaluations. His recommendations inform market launches for various point-of-care diagnostics tests and pharmaceutical products. Kareem worked with Tabade Pharmaceutical Chemists Limited for over a decade in various capacities including as the Managing Director, a Consultant on Pharmaceuticals, IVD and Biotech devices, and as a Clinical Pharmacist. In addition, he has been a Pharmacist at Boots in the UK.Kareem holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from Ulster University, a Master’s degree in Pharmacy from Cardiff University, and a MBA from the University of South Wales.
Kudzai Makomva
Managing Partner
Kudzai is a Managing Partner at Market Access Africa. She has 15 years of experience in strategy, public affairs, and organizational leadership in the development sector. She specializes in helping public and third sector organizations develop compelling strategies, finance and scale social impact initiatives, and generate rigorous evidence to drive change. She served as Chief Operating Officer of Delta Philanthropies, and as the Founding Executive Director of the SADC Malaria Elimination 8—a regional ministerial collaboration to eliminate malaria in Africa. She also spent 6 years at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, overseeing regional programs in disease elimination and financing. Kudzai holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University; she is an Fellow of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Executive Programme in Global Health Leadership.
Kundai Moyo
Consultant: Monitoring & Evaluation; Research
Kundai has vast expertise in laboratory systems, research, monitoring and evaluation, surveillance, quality improvement, data use, and health program management. She is the co-founder and Director of Operations at APEX Medical Laboratories. She served as the Director of Strategic Information and Evaluation at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Prior to this, she was the Project Coordinator and Technical Advisor for the Howard University Technical Assistance Project. She started her career as a Biomedical Scientist at the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, the University Of Zimbabwe Clinical research Centre and the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from University of Zimbabwe and a Master’s in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Liverpool.
Nancy Njoku-Attah
Manager of Commercial Life Sciences
Nancy oversees the organization’s expanding diagnostics and medical devices project portfolio in the anglophone West Africa region. She is a specialist in delivering and driving sales strategies in the healthcare sector, and is skilled in building and retaining relationships with stakeholders and key opinion leaders in the industry. Prior to this, she was a Provider Account Manager at 54Gene, a Sales, Marketing, and Business Development Consultant at Dovaheights Dialysis Center, and a Key Accounts Management Team Lead at ISN Medical. Nancy has also worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist at numerous facilities, including the Clina-Lancet laboratories, and the Brigade Medical Centre in Nigeria. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science from Imo State University and an MBA from Lagos Business School.
Newton Runyowa
Principal, Diagnostics & Laboratory Services
Newton contributes to the development of market strategies to promote health accessibility. He is a specialist in the optimization, adoption and utilization of safe, cost-effective and efficient diagnostic technologies in Africa. Prior to this, Newton was a Senior Technical Advisor at Bummhi, a Laboratory Specialist at the Center for International Health and Biosecurity, and a Consultant with EnCompass LLC in Zimbabwe. He started his career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and a Logistics Specialist at the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe. Newton holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe, a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Development Practice from the University of Pretoria, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Procurement Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Salford University.
Nick Bright
Expert, Diagnostics: Development, Commercialization and Access
Nick specializes in market access for new products and new companies in diagnostics in Africa. He is the Founder and Director of Metis Healthcare Consulting in Kenya, a bioscience business focusing on point-of-care products in the fields of HIV, TB, Malaria and Typhoid in Africa. Prior to this, he served as the Director of Market Access at Zyomyx, the Regional Director at Alere, and the Regional Director of East Africa at BD. He has over 30 years in the health care sector in Africa.Nick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of West London.
Olawale Ajose
Managing Partner
Olawale Ajose is a Managing Partner at Market Access Africa. Within this role he oversees expansion of the firm's capabilities in key strategic areas and, more broadly, ensures that the firm continues to meet the changing needs of its clients. Prior to this, Olawale was the Head of Access (NTD) at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and a Technical Officer at Unitaid. In addition, he served the Clinton Health Access Initiative as Global Deputy Director, Maternal and Newborn Health and as the Deputy Country Manager for the Tanzania office. Olawale is also the co-founder of AHC Barging, a logistics company in Lagos. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Lagos and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Warwick.
Sarah Muthuri
Regulatory Affairs Consultant
Sarah Muthuri leads the development of the regulatory practice at Market Access Africa. She has over twenty years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and was instrumental in the harmonization of regulatory guidelines across the African continent. She has also worked at the International Aids Vaccine Initiative and GlaxoSmithKline Limited, where she held positions in both the Clinical Research field and Regulatory Affairs. Her research lies in Malaria and HIV. Throughout her 20+ years in the Pharma industry, Sarah has been dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to safe and effective drugs. She has been instrumental in the harmonization of Regulatory Guidelines across the continent and takes great satisfaction in seeing a product she registered being dispensed to a patient. She holds a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Egerton University in Kenya and a Masters in Pharmaceutical Medicine from Hibernia College in Ireland. Additionally, Sarah has completed several leadership courses across Africa, including the Emerging African Leadership program (Stellenbosch University – South Africa) and a Women in Leadership Course (Strathmore University – Kenya).
Shabnam Zavahir
Partner
Shabnam is a Partner at Market Access Africa. She has over 15 years of experience working in health with a focus in laboratory systems and networks. She specializes in projects where diagnostics are at the core of client engagement. In collaboration with global health specialists, private sector partners, and ministries of health, she has spent more than a decade implementing programs in Africa. Prior to this, she worked with Roche in various capacities across the African continent, including as a Strategic Healthcare Consultant, an Early Infant Diagnosis Programme Manager, and a Molecular Science Consultant. She also managed Roche’s HIV Programme in Africa. Earlier, she was an Assistant Research Fellow at Botswana Harvard AIDS Partnership. Shabnam holds a Master’s degree in Medical Science, Bacteriology from the University of Cape Town and a certificate from the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Business Administration and Management.
Spring Gombe
Partner
As a Partner in the Public Affairs practice at Market Access Africa, Spring leads our provision of strategic advisory services to multilateral agencies, governments, and a range of non-state actors working towards equal access to health with particular emphasis on the needs of medically underserved, vulnerable and neglected populations. Bringing 20+ years’ experience to MAA, Spring was previously Programme Manager, Technology Access Partnership at the UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, a Senior Policy Advocacy Manager with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and a Senior Health Policy Analyst with the Knowledge Ecology International, for whom her work focused on neglected tropical diseases and diseases of epidemic potential. Her other work experiences include advocating for access to health technologies with civil society organizations, including MSF Access Campaign and Oxfam International. Spring holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in Global Health Policy from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, New York University.