Esther Mwaikambo facts for kids
Esther Daniel Mwaikambo (born in 1940) is a medical doctor from Tanzania. She is a highly respected expert in child health, known as a senior pediatrician. She is also a professor at the Hubert Kairuki Memorial University, teaching about children's health.
Her Life and Education
Esther Mwaikambo completed her medical degree (MD) in 1969 at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. She made history by becoming Tanzania's very first female doctor! Because of this amazing achievement, a Swahili newspaper called Uhuru featured her in a special series about important women in Tanzania.
She continued her studies, earning a Master of Medicine in Pediatrics from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1977. Later, in 1982, she received a special diploma in childhood infectious diseases and immunology from the Institute of Child Health in London. She also studied at Harvard University in 1995, where she earned a certificate in Behavioral Sciences.
Helping Others
In 1987, Dr. Mwaikambo started the Medical Women Association of Tanzania. This group helped lead Tanzania's important program to fight breast cancer.
From 2001 to 2012, she was the chairperson for the Board of Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA). In 2009, she gave a special lecture at Harvard University, talking about the challenges of creating a medical university in Tanzania. As the President of the Tanzania Academy of Science, Dr. Mwaikambo encouraged the media in Tanzania to share and promote new scientific discoveries made by local scientists.
In 2018, Esther Mwaikambo was chosen as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This is a very high honor that recognizes her important contributions to medicine and science.
