Dr. Kidanu Hurisa Chachu | Public Health | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Kidanu Hurisa Chachu,Network of Networks of HIV Positives in Ethiopia (NEP+), Ethiopia
Dr. Kidanu Hurisa Chachu is a seasoned Senior Public Health Specialist with over 16 years of extensive experience in the field. With a PhD in Public Health and advanced degrees in the same discipline, he has demonstrated leadership in managing national programs in HIV, TB, immunization, and environmental health. Currently serving as the Program Director at NEP+, he oversees strategic implementation across 300+ health facilities, coordinating community-based HIV care and psychosocial support. Previously, he served as a Technical Officer at UNDP, where he strengthened health and environment programs at the national level. His core strengths include project coordination, M&E, stakeholder engagement, data management, and advocacy. Dr. Kidanu is multilingual, fluent in English, Afan Oromo, and Amharic. His career is marked by data-driven decision-making, community impact, and successful partnerships with international donors, such as the Global Fund, UNAIDS, and PEPFAR.
Publication Profile
🎓 Education
Dr. Kidanu holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health from the University of South Africa (UNISA), where he is finalizing his doctoral research. His academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Haramaya University in Ethiopia, completed in 2008. Driven by a passion for community health, he further pursued his Master’s degree in General Public Health from Wollega University, graduating in 2016. Throughout his academic path, Dr. Kidanu has focused on strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and addressing public health challenges in resource-limited settings. His studies emphasize a strong foundation in research, statistical analysis, and results-based management, all of which are evident in his professional approach. His academic background has been essential to his leadership roles and to his ability to drive impactful, evidence-based public health interventions.
💼 Experience
Dr. Kidanu currently leads NEP+ as Program Director, overseeing HIV response strategies across Ethiopia. He manages over 600 adherence supporters and leads national initiatives like Community-Led Monitoring (CLM), economic empowerment, and mother support groups. Prior to NEP+, he served as Technical Officer at UNDP (2021–2024), providing strategic and technical guidance on health and environment programs. There, he collaborated with the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection Authority to improve project outcomes, mobilize resources, and manage donor-funded initiatives. His earlier experience spans clinical practice, research, and M&E roles that focused on HIV, TB, immunization, and environmental health. Dr. Kidanu’s hands-on experience in fieldwork, stakeholder engagement, and donor coordination reflects his dedication to delivering sustainable public health outcomes and system strengthening across Ethiopia.
🏅 Awards and Honors
While specific awards are not explicitly listed, Dr. Kidanu’s career achievements reflect recognition at both national and international levels. At NEP+, he led the successful scale-up of key initiatives including Community-Led Monitoring and economic empowerment programs for PLHIV, achievements often recognized by partner institutions and donors. His leadership has enhanced Ethiopia’s HIV treatment adherence and digital M&E systems. At UNDP, his work contributed to policy development and was praised for aligning with SDG targets and donor expectations, particularly in collaboration with the EU and MoH. His consistent success in grant writing, program reporting, and stakeholder coordination underscores a highly commendable career. His track record suggests recognition through internal promotions, project expansions, and trusted leadership in donor-funded programs, affirming his status as a key figure in Ethiopia’s public health sector.
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Kidanu’s research focus centers on health systems strengthening, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and community-led HIV interventions. His doctoral work at UNISA contributes to the evidence base for improving adherence support, stigma reduction, and access to treatment in Ethiopia. His academic and field research explore the intersections of public health, environmental factors, and chronic disease management. He emphasizes participatory approaches, particularly Community-Led Monitoring (CLM), to generate real-time data and inform policy. Additionally, he’s contributed to studies involving maternal and child health, digital health systems, and the socio-economic empowerment of PLHIV. His evidence-driven strategies are reflected in national programs that integrate research findings into scalable interventions. His work contributes to global dialogues on sustainable HIV responses and health equity in low-resource settings.
Publication Top Notes
📘 Prevalence and Factors Associated with Current Cigarette Smoking among Ethiopian University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis – Journal of Addiction – Cited by: 21 – Year: 2020 🔍🚬📊
📘 Strategies for strengthening same-day ART initiation, tracing people living with HIV lost to follow-up and viral load monitoring mechanisms in Ethiopia – HIV Medicine – Cited by: 0 – Year: 2025 🧬📈👥
📘 Viral suppression among patients in HIV/AIDS care at healthcare facilities in Ethiopia: Same-day antiretroviral initiation – PLOS ONE – Cited by: 0 – Year: 2025 💊📉🏥
📘 Retention of patients in HIV/AIDS care at the healthcare facility level in Ethiopia: Same-day antiretroviral initiation status – Unspecified Journal – Cited by: 0 – Year: 2024 🏥🔄🧪
📘 Same-day antiretroviral therapy initiation and its association with viral suppression and retention in HIV care in Ethiopia – University of South Africa (Thesis) – Cited by: 0 – Year: 2024 🎓📚📉
📘 Strategies for strengthening same-day ART initiation, tracing people living with HIV lost to follow-up and viral load monitoring mechanisms in Ethiopia – HIV Medicine (duplicate) – Cited by: 0 – Year: 2025 🔁📊🧬
