Dr. Wandira Joseph is a Medical Doctor and a non-degree fellow on the EnRich Program. He is passionate about child health, with a particular interest in neglected non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), hematological disorders and clinical research. He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Makerere University. His professional interests include improving the quality of care and health outcomes through evidence-based clinical practice, health education and research.

His research project is titled “Evaluating the Effect of Daily Penicillin V Prophylaxis among High-risk Children Above 5 years Living with Sickle Cell Disease.

The study seeks to determine whether daily Penicillin V prophylaxis affects the frequency of clinically documented bacterial infections and SCD crises among high-risk children with SCD older than five years. High-risk children will be defined as those with persistently markedly elevated White Blood Cell counts (> 20×10³ cells/µL), a history of Acute Chest Syndrome, splenomegaly with persistently very low hemoglobin (< 6g/dL) or transfused more than 4 times in a single year and two or more admissions in one month. The study will also explore patients’ and caregivers’ experiences, perceptions and challenges regarding the use of daily Penicillin V prophylaxis, assess adherence to Penicillin V among the target populations and document any adverse effects associated with its use.

The findings will generate locally relevant evidence to support individualized clinical decision-making and inform future research and clinical practice regarding the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in older children living with SCD who remain at a high risk of severe complications.