Richard Idro

Dr Richard Idro, MBChB, MMED, PhD, FRCPCH (UK)
Associate Professor of Paediatrics and Paediatric Neurology
Deputy Principal, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences

School: Medicine
Department: Paediatrics and Child Health

Dr Idro trained in Paediatrics at Makerere University before he took a sandwich PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Amsterdam and clinical training in Paediatric Neurology with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in London. In between, he had short courses in epidemiology, clinical trials, molecular and experimental biology, and leadership. A multi award winning scientist, Dr Idro leads a Paediatric Neurosciences research program at Makerere University. His research focuses on the burden, causes, and pathogenesis of severe childhood illnesses, central nervous systems infections and brain injury from these infections and interventions to improve the outcomes. Today, this research has expanded to brain injury prevention in sickle cell anaemia and childhood epilepsy. Dr Idro has supervised six PhD and over twenty master’s degree students to completion. Until recently, he was an Executive Board Member of the International Child Neurology Association, a member of the WHO Severe Malaria Technical Committee, and the commissions of the International Brain Research Organization and the International League Against Epilepsy. He is a visiting Fellow in Tropical medicine at University of Oxford, visiting Professor of International Child Health at University of Amsterdam and visiting Professor of Neurosciences and Neurology with the International Brain Research Organization and the European Academy of Neurology schools across Africa. Dr Idro is also a Past President of Uganda Medical Association. He took over as Deputy Principal of the College in June 2024. 

Dr Idro is a co-Director of a training grant supporting the training of several PhD, master’s degree, and certificate students in the prevention and treatment of neuro-cognitive morbidity due to infection or other brain injuries. His current research includes:

a) Pathogenesis and treatment of nodding syndrome
b) Chemoprevention of malaria in children and adolescents with sickle cell anaemia
c) Post-discharge malaria chemoprevention in convalescent children following severe malaria and severe malnutrition
d) Prevention of neurological and cognitive impairment in children and adolescents with sickle cell anaemia.

 

Research and Publications

 

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