Dr David Onchonga

I hold a Bachelor's and a master's of Public Health from Kenyatta University in Kenya and a PhD in Health Sciences from the University of Pécs in Hungary. Additionally, I have a Monitoring and Evaluation Fellowship from the University of Nairobi in Kenya, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health System Management from Galilee International Management Institute in Israel, and a Certificate of Good Clinical Practice E6 (R2) from the Global Health Networks.

My professional journey in public health spans over a decade with the Ministry of Health in Kenya, where I managed various public health programmes, including community health strategy, malaria control, school health, disease surveillance, and immunisation. Additionally, I served as a Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Consultant with International Business and Technical Consultants (USA) from January to December 2017.

Within academia, I have significantly contributed as a part-time lecturer at Laikipia University, Kenya, where I participated in curriculum reviews aimed at enhancing student learning experiences. My role involved curriculum development procedures, including reviewing aims, objectives, competencies, and learning outcomes. My teaching experience expanded during my tenure at Mount Kenya University, where I engaged in course delivery, adapting to diverse learning environments, and various modes of teaching, including online, hybrid, and in-person instruction.

Most recently, at the University of Limerick, Ireland, I worked as a postdoctoral Researcher in Medical Education, focusing on integrating social accountability into the medical education curriculum. During this period, I contributed to six manuscripts and actively supported the School of Medicine provision.

Currently, I am a Lecturer in the School of Psychology and Public Health where I contribute significantly to the teaching, assessment, and supervision of BSc (Hons) Public Health Practitioners Degree Apprenticeship and MSc Public Health.

I lead three modules: Epidemiology and Statistics, Dissertation (Research Methods) and Smoke-Free Living. I am actively engaged in teaching, assessment, supervision, and administrative responsibilities such as developing, organising, and uploading/updating content in Canvas for the three modules.

My research interests are in the areas of maternal and child health (fear of childbirth), drugs and substance misuse among youths, healthcare workers’ mental health issues during pandemics, self-medication trends among healthcare workers, and integration of social accountability into medical education. I have recently developed a great interest in research focusing on the lived experience of parents and carers of children living with hidden disabilities in resource-limited settings.