Kenneth is a PhD student in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Zambia, where his research is tackling one of the most under-recognised threats to maternal survival: pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (PrAKI). His work focuses on evaluating urinary biomarkers and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) as practical tools to identify and assess pregnant and postpartum women at risk, particularly those affected by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage.
As a founding member of the Global PrAKI Consortium, Kenneth contributes to a growing international effort to advance research, collaboration, and advocacy in maternal kidney health. Within CRIBS Global and the PrAKI programme, his work spans developing and implementing studies, championing diagnostic approaches that are genuinely feasible in resource-constrained settings, and generating evidence to improve outcomes for women across sub-Saharan Africa.
The scale of the problem
Kenneth’s day-to-day work has brought the burden of PrAKI into sharp focus. In his high-dependency units, more than half of admitted women show some degree of renal insufficiency, driven largely by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage, both major causes of severe maternal morbidity. Yet laboratory support remains limited: timely serum creatinine testing, urinary biomarkers, renal imaging, and specialist nephrology services are often out of reach. It’s this gap between need and access that drives his commitment to simple, affordable, context-appropriate diagnostic tools.
Why maternal health
Kenneth’s path into the field grew directly from clinical experience as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, caring for women with severe hypertensive disorders and postpartum haemorrhage who went on to develop renal complications, often detected late due to limited diagnostic resources. That pattern, combined with a broader conviction that many causes of maternal death are preventable with proven interventions, shaped his decision to dedicate his career to maternal health. As he puts it, the gap between “what we know works and what women actually receive in practice” motivated him to pursue obstetrics and gynaecology, contributing not just clinical care, but evidence and practical solutions.
What keeps him motivated
Kenneth finds his greatest reward at the intersection of clinical practice, research, and teaching, caring for patients, mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals, and developing innovative diagnostic approaches. Seeing research translate into better care for women in low-resource settings is, he says, what fulfils him most. The flip side is watching women present late or develop severe, preventable complications because of resource constraints — a challenge that, rather than discouraging him, reinforces his drive toward practical innovation.
Working with CRIBS Global
Kenneth describes his experience with CRIBS Global as “extremely positive and rewarding.” Through CRIBS Global support, his team has been able to carry out research in Zambia on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and maternal health, alongside valuable capacity-building through mentorship, training, and international collaboration. For Kenneth, connecting with researchers and clinicians from around the world who share a commitment to maternal kidney health has strengthened both his research skills and his sense of being part of a wider community.
Looking ahead
Over the next five to ten years, Kenneth hopes to establish himself as an independent researcher and mentor, building collaborative networks focused on maternal health and PrAKI across sub-Saharan Africa. He’s also working to develop grant-writing and research leadership skills to attract funding for high-quality research. His longer-term goal is to help build a strong, connected community of maternal health researchers in the region and to find a sustainable model that lets him remain both an active clinician and an impactful researcher.
Beyond the lab
When he’s not working, Kenneth finds balance in gardening and farming and values time spent with family. He also has a passion for designing and constructing buildings, something he says reflects the same satisfaction he gets from research: creating something meaningful that leaves a lasting impact.