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Biography
Sam (MBChB, MMED in Paediatrics & Child Health, Dphil in Clinical Medicine), is a Principal Investigator at the Health Services Unit, Nairobi, and a Visiting Research Fellow, University of Oxford. He is a consultant paediatrician and did his medical education in Kenya and his Dphil studies at the University of Oxford. His Dhil, awarded in 2012, investigated haemodynamic status of children with severe febrile illnesses. Sam took a research break between 2012-2015 to obtain specialist medical training and re-joined KWTRP in 2016 as a post-doctoral researcher focussing on understanding the impact of recommended interventions of survival of hospitalised children.
Current Work
His main research interests are; • Understanding the aetiology, management, and impact of interventions in children with severe febrile illnesses, focussing on malaria and severe infections • Improving triage and treatment of children with febrile illnesses presenting to hospitals • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in paediatric inpatient settings • Hospital inpatient surveillance for understanding impact of interventions and burden of diseases in children The studies inform case management of common childhood infections which lead to admission while also identifying areas that need further research evidence. He has led the sentinel surveillance in Kenya for the WHO-led evaluation of RTS, S/AS01 malaria vaccine following its pilot introduction in 2019 in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi. He leads the childhood severe febrile illness study group (cSEFI Group) within the Nairobi hub of KWTRP. He also supported publication of evidence briefs on COVID-19 that supported Kenya’s MoH response to COVID-19. Research Projects • An evaluation of the cluster-randomised pilot implementation of the RTS, S/AS01 malaria vaccine through routine health systems in western Kenya: a post-authorization observational study • The CINAMR (Clinical Information Network-Antimicrobial Resistance) Project: A pilot microbial surveillance using hospitals linked to regional laboratories in Kenya • Strengthening the evidence for policy on the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine: assessment of safety and effectiveness using case-control studies embedded in the Malaria Vaccine Pilot Evaluation • A Clinically Oriented Antimicrobial Resistance Network (ACORN 2.0) • Triage and management of sepsis in children using the point-of-care Paediatric Rapid Sepsis Trigger toolCollaborations
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Project Research
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Publications
Feasibility, safety, and impact of the RTS,S/AS01(E) malaria vaccine when implemented through national immunisation programmes: evaluation of cluster-randomised introduction of the vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.
Asante, K. P., Mathanga, D. P., Milligan, P., Akech, S., Oduro, A., Mwapasa, V., Moore, K. A., Kwambai, T. K., Hamel, M. J., Gyan, T., Westercamp, N., Kapito-Tembo, A., Njuguna, P., Ansong, D., Kariuki, S., Mvalo, T., Snell, P., Schellenberg, D., Welega, P., Otieno, L., Chimala, A., Afari, E. A., Bejon, P., Maleta, K., Agbenyega, T., Snow, R. W., Zulu, M., Chinkhumba, J., Samuels, A. M.
Lancet, (2024). :
International Consensus Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock.
Schlapbach, L. J., Watson, R. S., Sorce, L. R., Argent, A. C., Menon, K., Hall, M. W., Akech, S., Albers, D. J., Alpern, E. R., Balamuth, F., Bembea, M., Biban, P., Carrol, E. D., Chiotos, K., Chisti, M. J., DeWitt, P. E., Evans, I., Flauzino de Oliveira, C., Horvat, C. M., Inwald, D., Ishimine, P., Jaramillo-Bustamante, J. C., Levin, M., Lodha, R., Martin, B., Nadel, S., Nakagawa, S., Peters, M. J., Randolph, A. G., Ranjit, S., Rebull, M. N., Russell, S., Scott, H. F., de Souza, D. C., Tissieres, P., Weiss, S. L., Wiens, M. O., Wynn, J. L., Kissoon, N., Zimmerman, J. J., Sanchez-Pinto, L. N., Bennett, T. D., Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task, Force
JAMA, (2024). 331:665-674
Development and Validation of the Phoenix Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock.
Sanchez-Pinto, L. N., Bennett, T. D., DeWitt, P. E., Russell, S., Rebull, M. N., Martin, B., Akech, S., Albers, D. J., Alpern, E. R., Balamuth, F., Bembea, M., Chisti, M. J., Evans, I., Horvat, C. M., Jaramillo-Bustamante, J. C., Kissoon, N., Menon, K., Scott, H. F., Weiss, S. L., Wiens, M. O., Zimmerman, J. J., Argent, A. C., Sorce, L. R., Schlapbach, L. J., Watson, R. S., Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task, Force., Biban, P., Carrol, E., Chiotos, K., Flauzino De Oliveira, C., Hall, M. W., Inwald, D., Ishimine, P., Levin, M., Lodha, R., Nadel, S., Nakagawa, S., Peters, M. J., Randolph, A. G., Ranjit, S., Souza, D. C., Tissieres, P., Wynn, J. L.
JAMA, (2024). 331:675-686
Using self-supervised feature learning to improve the use of pulse oximeter signals to predict paediatric hospitalization.
Mwaniki, P., Kamanu, T., Akech, S., Dunsmuir, D., Ansermino, J. M., Eijkemans, M. J. C.
Wellcome Open Res, (2023). 6:248
The CINAMR (Clinical Information Network-Antimicrobial Resistance) Project: A pilot microbial surveillance using hospitals linked to regional laboratories in Kenya: Study Protocol.
Akech, S., Nyamwaya, B., Gachoki, J., Ogero, M., Kigo, J., Maina, M., Mutua, E., Ooko, E., Bejon, P., Mwarumba, S., Bahati, F., Mvera, B., Musyimi, R., Onsare, R., Hutter, J., Tanui, E., Wesangula, E., Turner, P., Dunachie, S., Lucey, O., McKnight, J.
Wellcome Open Res, (2022). 7:256
Verbal Autopsy to Assess Postdischarge Mortality in Children With Suspected Sepsis in Uganda.
Knappett, M., Hooft, A., Maqsood, M. B., Lavoie, P. M., Kortz, T., Mehta, S., Duby, J., Akech, S., Maina, M., Carter, R., Popescu, C. R., Daftary, R., Mugisha, N. K., Mwesigwa, D., Kabakyenga, J., Kumbakumba, E., Ansermino, J. M., Kissoon, N., Mutekanga, A., Hau, D., Moschovis, P., Kangwa, M., Chen, C., Firnberg, M., Glomb, N., Argent, A., Reid, S. J., Bhutta, A., Wiens, M. O.
Pediatrics, (2023). 152:e2023062011
Pediatric prognostic models predicting inhospital child mortality in resource-limited settings: An external validation study.
Ogero, M., Ndiritu, J., Sarguta, R., Tuti, T., Akech, S.
Health Sci Rep, (2023). 6:e1433
Recalibrating prognostic models to improve predictions of in-hospital child mortality in resource-limited settings.
Ogero, M., Ndiritu, J., Sarguta, R., Tuti, T., Aluvaala, J., Akech, S.
Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, (2023). 37:313-321
Tackling post-discharge mortality in children living in LMICs to reduce child deaths.
Akech, S., Kwambai, T., Wiens, M. O., Chandna, A., Berkley, J. A., Snow, R. W.
Lancet Child Adolesc Health, (2023). 7:149-151
Malaria hospitalisation in East Africa: age, phenotype and transmission intensity.
Kamau, A., Paton, R. S., Akech, S., Mpimbaza, A., Khazenzi, C., Ogero, M., Mumo, E., Alegana, V. A., Agweyu, A., Mturi, N., Mohammed, S., Bigogo, G., Audi, A., Kapisi, J., Sserwanga, A., Namuganga, J. F., Kariuki, S., Otieno, N. A., Nyawanda, B. O., Olotu, A., Salim, N., Athuman, T., Abdulla, S., Mohamed, A. F., Mtove, G., Reyburn, H., Gupta, S., Lourenco, J., Bejon, P., Snow, R. W.
BMC Med, (2022). 20:28