Dr. Leah C. Bii is a medical doctor specialized in Public Health (Epidemiology and Biostatistics). She has over thirty years’ experience strengthening the health systems through training and capacity building of health sector managers in leadership, management and governance. Building and nurturing strong relationships is the foundation of everything that Leah does, both professionally and personally. As the current head of Intergovernmental Relations at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Leah has provided technical support in the initiation and signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the College and various County Governments across the country. Her passion is in project identification, development and management. She has provided technical and programmatic leadership in the management of a 1.2B Kenya shilling project funded by the World Bank, which targeted the training of one thousand and two hundred (1200) enrolled nurses for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) Counties and other hard-to reach areas.
Leah has worked at different levels in the health sector in Kenya. She started as a Medical Doctor at Kenyatta National Hospital, which is the largest national teaching and referral hospital in Kenya, program officer at National AIDS and STIs Control Program, and head of the Health Services Unit and lecturer at KMTC where she rose to become an acting Deputy Director Academic. As a champion for interdisciplinary community-based health research, she has planned and implemented activities to improve the training, supervision and coaching of various young researchers. She has been involved in teaching and learning, provision of consultancy services, healthcare management, and provision and supervision of preventive and curative services. She has participated in the development and review of KMTC strategic plans, training curricula, policies and guidelines.
Working with the national and county governments, various development partners and donors, and regulatory bodies has given her an opportunity to learn, gain experience and develop a wide network of contacts with the public sector and non-state actors. She has also actively participated in the inter-ministerial committees in preparation for Joint Commission for Cooperation with other African countries. Leah was a member of the Physiotherapy Council of Kenya where she sat in the Academic, Training and Standard committee for three years. She is currently a member of the KMTC Board of Trustees since 2017 and chairs the Administration and Communication Committee. In May 2023, she was appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education to be a member of the Board of Governors in one of the Nairobi-based Technical Vocational Colleges.
Education
- Master of Philosophy in Public Health (Epidemiology & Statistics) – Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya; 2002 – 2006
- Strategic Leadership Development Program. Kenya School of Government, 2019
- Post-graduate certificate in Project Identification, Development and Management. Maastricht School of Management (MSM). The Netherlands, Sept – Oct 2015.
- Post-graduate Diploma in Health Systems Management – KMTC/USIU/Galilee College, Israel, 2007
- Post-graduate certificate in Emergency Medicine in Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- Medical Degree. Medical Academy~ Sofia, Varna Higher Medical Institute Varna, Bulgaria, 1991
- Pre-Med Preparatory Course, Rousse, Bulgaria, 1984
- Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education, Alliance Girls High School, 1982