Kenyan physician Jacqueline Kitulu achieved a historic milestone on Monday by being elected as the President of the World Medical Association (WMA).
With over 15 years of experience in the medical field, she secured the prestigious position after defeating her closest rival, Professor Caldas Alfonso from Portugal.
In a highly competitive election held during the WMA’s 75th General Assembly in Helsinki, Finland, Kitulu received 100 votes compared to Alfonso’s 24.
Her term as president will span from 2025 to 2026, making her the second Kenyan to assume this role since the WMA’s inception in 1947.
The first was Dr. Samuel Karanja, who served from 1995 to 1996, marking a pivotal moment for Kenya within the international medical community.
In her home country, Kitulu serves as the President of the Kenya Medical Association, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of medical practice in Kenya.
Additionally, she has held the position of chair for the Kenya Medical Women’s Association in both 2008 and 2012, is the 1st Deputy Governor of the Kenya Red Cross Society, and is involved with several other boards.
Kitulu possesses a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management from Strathmore Business School, as reported by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council.
”Dr Kitulu has an MBA in Healthcare Management from Strathmore Business School and believes that this has gone a long way in bridging the communication gap between her health background and her current policy-influencing position in a bid to transform the Health sector in Kenya.
”She is also a recipient of many awards including the most recent one, the Distinguished Service Award from the Kenya Medical Association 2019,’’ it said.
Kitulu will assume control of the management of WMA and will endeavor to uphold the highest standards of medical ethics while championing the rights of both physicians and patients on a global scale.
