Richard Iwa Idro is a

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

n pediatric neurologist, researcher and academic, who serves as an

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...

in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at

Makerere University College of Health Sciences Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) is a constituent college of Makerere University, Uganda's oldest university. The schools of the college offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the biomedical sciences, health science ...

Early life and education

Idro was born in Moyo, Uganda in 1970. After attending local primary and secondary schools, he was admitted to

Makerere University School of Medicine The Makerere University School of Medicine (MUSM), also known as the Makerere University Medical School, is the school of medicine of Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university. The medical school has been part of Makerer ...

, graduating in 1996 with a

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

degree. In 2001, he was awarded a

Master of Medicine Master of Medicine (MMed) is a postgraduate professional clinical degree awarded by medical schools to physicians following a period of instruction, supervised clinical rotations, and examination. The degree usually takes three years to complete, ...

degree in

Pediatrics Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until th ...

by the same medical school. His degree of

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

was awarded by the

University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...

in the Netherlands, in 2008. He specialized as a pediatric neurologist. In October 2022, he was elected as a Fellow of the

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, often referred to as the RCPCH, is the professional body for paediatricians (doctors specialising in child health) in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the postgraduate training of paed ...

(FRCPCH) of the United Kingdom. It is the highest recognition that can be bestowed to a pediatrician in the countries of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

Career

Dr Richard Idro is a specialized

pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

, with super specialization as a

neurologist Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

. His research interests include

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

in adolescents, the interactions between HIV and malaria, and the prognostic features of

cerebral malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue (medical), tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In se ...

, among other topics. Recently, his work has expanded into studies of brain injury in

sickle cell anemia Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blo ...

, viral encephalitis and childhood epilepsy. He also concurrently serves as an Honorary Consultant Pediatrician and Pediatric Neurologist at

Mulago National Referral Hospital Mulago National Specialised Hospital, also known as Mulago National Referral Hospital, is a component of Mulago Hospital Complex, the teaching facility of Makerere University College of Health Sciences. It is the largest public hospital in Ug ...

(MNRH), in

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

, Uganda's capital and largest city. MNRH is the teaching hospital of Makerere University College of Health Sciences. He is a leading authority on

Nodding disease Nodding disease is a disease which Emerging infectious disease, emerged in Sudan in the 1960s. It is a mentally and physically disabling disease that only affects children, typically between the ages of 5 and 15. It is currently restricted to small ...

, an ill-understood pediatric mental condition, characterized by seizures, mental retardation and stunted growth. The cause remains unknown and there was no known cure, as of 2019.

Honors and awards

In February 2019, the

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a public research university in Bloomsbury, central London, and a member institution of the University of London that specialises in public health and tropical medicine. The inst ...

(LSHTM) announced Dr Richard Idro as the winner of the Greenwood Africa Award 2019. The award comprises (a) a medal (b) one week of residence at the LSHTM (c) The winner will be required to give a ''Greenwood Lecture'' (d) During the week of residence at LSTMH in London, the winner is required to interact with relevant academics and give seminars as the situation may warrant. The award is restricted to mid-level medical researchers in infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. It is awarded every three years and Dr. Idro is the first ever recipient.

Other considerations

He is a member of the eight-person board of directors of ''Global Health Uganda'', a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that aims at improving pediatric health research in Uganda.

References

External links

About The Greenwood Africa Award

Interview With Dr Richard Idro
As of May 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Idro, Richard 1970 births Living people Ugandan medical researchers Madi people Ugandan neurologists Ugandan pediatricians Makerere University alumni Academic staff of Makerere University University of Amsterdam alumni People from Moyo District People from Northern Region, Uganda Fellows of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health