CHARLES ONDIEKI OTWORI
Nairobi
Summary
Global Health Leader and Obstetrician/Gynecologist with 20+ years in clinical practice and public health. Expertise in managing multi-million dollar RMNCAH programs, resulting in improved health outcomes in SRHR and MNCH. Proficient in policy advocacy, digital health solutions, and data analytics, with a focus on building stakeholder relationships for systemic improvements. Recognized as a thought leader and mentor dedicated to enhancing health systems and scaling effective interventions for mothers and children.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Management Specialist - MNCH
USAID Kenya & East Africa
Nairobi
03.2023 - Current
- Provided technical and strategic leadership for a $56M USAID-funded MNCH portfolio across 13 counties, ensuring program alignment with the USAID Roadmap to 2030 and national health priorities.
- Directed high-profile implementing partners (USAID Stawisha Pwani, USAID HERO, UNICEF RMNCAH Equity) to ensure program excellence, financial stewardship, and donor satisfaction.
- Led evidence-based interventions that resulted in a 23% increase in attendance at ANC 4+ and a 46% increase in newborns attended to for postnatal care within 48 hours.
- Led the development of Kenya's National Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) Implementation Roadmap, providing technical advice on scaling up prevention and emergency obstetric care nationally.
- Actively participated in and contributed to national policy forums with the Gates Foundation, Safaricom Foundation, and ICRH, supporting concept development and meeting organization to guide strategic investment and partnerships in maternal and newborn health.
- Directed digital health innovation by creating and rolling out a cervical cancer screening chatbot and IVR platforms for adolescent reproductive health.
- Organized national workshops and co-authored the draft MNCH Shifts multiyear plan, guiding Kenya as a pilot country in a USAID HQ initiative to rationalize MNCH investments.
- Developed tailored maternal health dashboards for real-time tracking of maternal mortality and antenatal care performance to improve data-informed decision-making.
- Served as Activity Manager for UNICEF's RMNCAH Equity project and Alternate AOR for USAID Stawisha Pwani, HERO, and PROPEL, overseeing program recovery, implementation, and strategic alignment with USAID priorities.
- Facilitated the development and roll-out of DigiHealth KE (as a member of the Activity Management Team) and USAID KIPS, supporting health systems strengthening and pharmaceutical supply chain transformation.
- Invited to represent USAID Kenya/East Africa at the 2024 Africa Bureau SOTA Conference in South Africa, presenting on scale-up of PPH prevention and pediatric quality of care improvement.
- Received multiple USAID 'On-the-Spot' Awards (2024-2025) for exceptional leadership in family planning and reproductive health programming.
- Contributed to the development of EWENE's country concept note and acceleration plan to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya.
- Co-developed policy briefs and partner mapping, budget advocacy, and coordination framework tools under the EWENE and PPH country action plans.
- Coordinated and provided technical assistance during field visits to Nakuru, Kwale, Nairobi, and Turkana, facilitating partners to adopt new MNH best practices.
- Attended the Africa Regional Anaemia Data Meeting and subsequently created a concept note to enhance anaemia prevention and management in MNCH programs.
- Served as RH/MCH Team Leader and Family Health Center of Excellence (FH COE) Lead, ensuring leadership continuity and technical guidance.
- Organized cross-county technical sessions on Family Health priorities and shifted engagement to a broader University of Nairobi platform for greater impact.
- Enabled the sharing of MNH Quality of Care Baseline Assessments and midterm reviews (e.g., KHPQS), strengthening performance monitoring systems.
- Provided critical input to developing and piloting an integrated supportive supervision tool and maternal mortality dashboards, improving partner accountability and reporting.
- Liaised with the Ministry of Health on the Annual Work Plan (FY 2024-2025), aligning USAID programming to national priorities through strategic engagement.
Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Kangundo Sub-County Hospital
06.2022 - 02.2023
- Delivered comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic care in a high-volume rural environment.
- Mentored and guided junior staff and interns through emergency obstetric procedures and best practices in maternal health.
- Conducted outreach and surgical camps, enhancing access to specialist services in remote areas.
- Prevented complications by stringently tracking pregnant women at risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or other chronic ailments impacting maternal-fetal health.
- Improved patient care by providing complete obstetric and gynecologic services, including prenatal care, labor and delivery management, and preventive screening.
Senior Technical Advisor - MNCH
Pathfinder International, Kenya
01.2018 - 05.2022
- Led RMNCAH, FP, Nutrition, and WASH programs aligned with MOH strategic priorities.
- Championed digital health innovation by creating and launching cervical cancer screening chatbot and IVR systems addressing adolescent reproductive health needs.
- Built respectful maternity care models and rolled out group ANC/Postnatal Care (Mama Kwa Mama).
- Authored county investment plans and contributed core pieces to Pathfinder Kenya's 5-year strategic plan.
- Contributed to a significant increase in Kilifi's mCPR from 33% to 53% and PNC coverage from 39% to 69%.
- Effectively designed, implemented, and tracked MNCH/FP activities, leading to enhanced service delivery and quantifiable improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.
- Conducted barrier assessments and led the implementation of innovative, context-driven solutions to enhance access and utilization of MNCH/FP services in target areas.
- Enhanced program effectiveness through rigorous technical quality assurance monitoring and ongoing MNCH/FP activity improvement with MER team support.
- Provided guidance and direction to a multi-disciplinary healthcare team, aligning work directions with program objectives and fostering a high-performing, motivated team culture.
- Directed development and implementation of detailed work plans, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of program outcomes and donor outputs.
- Provided targeted technical assistance and capacity building at community and health facility levels, improving the quality of FP/RH, MNCH, and malaria interventions.
- Chaired human capacity building and Quality Improvement (QI) activities, resulting in enhanced provider performance and patient outcomes.
- Guided technical program implementation, optimizing strategies with real-time feedback and lessons learned to ensure maximum effectiveness.
- Collaborated with MER teams to track, analyze, and report program outputs and outcomes to enable data-informed decision-making and impactful donor reporting.
- Collaborated with the Service Delivery Manager in synchronizing cross-functional technical work, ensuring smooth logistics and implementation support.
- Spearheaded and expanded new programming approaches, integrating client responses and global best practices into program design.
- Facilitated technical strategy and guideline review on a regular basis, resulting in better program management and service delivery models.
- Utilized international evidence and national priorities to inform strategic planning, implementation, and MNCH, FP/RH, and malaria service evaluation.
- Prepared and contributed to the preparation of technical abstracts and presentations showcasing program achievements at national and international levels.
- Provided supported technical interventions to operationalize policy for health, promote client-centered services, and ensure judicious expenditure of donor and government resources.
- Prepared and presented comprehensive technical reports outlining key activities, lessons learned, challenges faced, and suggestions to donors, partners, and governments.
Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Machakos County Referral Hospital
01.2013 - 12.2018
- Managed high-risk obstetric patients and conducted advanced gynecologic surgeries in a high-volume Level 5 facility, contributing to reduced maternal and neonatal morbidity through evidence-based practice.
- Directed sustained quality improvement in the maternity unit, instituting routine emergency drills and clinical audits that promoted provider adherence to lifesaving obstetric care and delivery room protocol.
- Pioneered the integration of family planning into HIV care clinics, enhancing comprehensive care for women with HIV and facilitating prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) success.
- Initiated and negotiated a public-private partnership with Aga Khan University Hospital, enabling Machakos County patients to access radiotherapy at half the previous cost, significantly improving access to cancer care.
- Directed the hospital's Drugs and Therapeutics Committee, overseeing development of a county-wide master plan for cancer care and implementation of a regional cancer registry, a first for the county health system.
Resident Physician
Kenyatta National Hospital
01.2009 - 12.2013
- Completed a four-year Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Kenyatta National Hospital & University of Nairobi, managing complex cases.
- Conducted HIV prevention research and surgical trials accurately, adhering to data and protocol standards.
- Trained health workers in new PMTCT guidelines at NASCOP.
- Awarded 'Best Student/Resident in MMed (Ob/Gyn)' for academic and clinical merit.
- Received the Resident of the Year Award at the University of Cologne for exceptional surgical skill and patient care.
Medical Officer
Kilifi District Hospital
Kilifi
01.2004 - 12.2009
- Delivered comprehensive medical, surgical, obstetric, and pediatric care in a busy district hospital, frequently serving as the lead physician in emergency and inpatient settings.
- Gained significant clinical experience across departments, managing high case volumes with restricted resources while maintaining continuity and quality of care.
- Supervised and guided medical interns and junior personnel, providing hands-on practice in emergency obstetric care, medical procedures, and clinical decision-making. Multiple mentees advanced to become expert practitioners.
- Contributed to health systems research as a Research Assistant for a Burden of Disease study, collating and analyzing epidemiological information to inform county health plans.
- Recipient of the 'Best Staff Award' for demonstrating exceptional dedication to patient care, teamwork, and clinical excellence in a resource-constrained environment.
Education
Masters of Medicine (obstetrics And Gynecology) -
University of Nairobi
KenyaBachelor of Medicine And Surgery (MBCHB) -
University of Nairobi
KenyaSkills
- Project management and planning
- Data analysis and evaluation
- Policy writing and advocacy
- Strategic financial management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Team leadership
- Health systems improvement
- Capacity building
- Quality improvement
- Digital health innovation
- Complex problem-solving
- Evidence-based public health practice
- Maternal health development
- Decision-making skills
- Analytical skills
- Organizational skills
Accomplishments
- USAID 'On-the-Spot' Awards, 2024-2025, Outstanding MNCH Leadership
- SIDA/Lund University SRHR Performance Award, 2015
- Best Student, MMed (Ob/Gyn), 2013, University of Nairobi
- Best Staff Award, 2009, Kilifi District Hospital
- INASP/AuthorAID Travel Fellowship, 2018, RCOG Congress Presenter
Certification
- Kenya Medical Association (KMA)
- Kenya Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (KOGS)
- Associate Member, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Languages
Swahili
First Language
English
Advanced (C1)
C1
French
Elementary (A2)
A2
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Project Management Specialist - MNCH
USAID Kenya & East Africa
03.2023 - Current
Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Kangundo Sub-County Hospital
06.2022 - 02.2023
Senior Technical Advisor - MNCH
Pathfinder International, Kenya
01.2018 - 05.2022
Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Machakos County Referral Hospital
01.2013 - 12.2018
Resident Physician
Kenyatta National Hospital
01.2009 - 12.2013
Medical Officer
Kilifi District Hospital
01.2004 - 12.2009
Masters of Medicine (obstetrics And Gynecology) -
University of Nairobi
Bachelor of Medicine And Surgery (MBCHB) -
University of Nairobi
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