The team
Dr Lilian Otiso, LVCT Health, Kenya & Chief Investigator for C-it DU-it Project
Dr. Lilian Otiso is the Executive Director at LVCT Health, a large Kenyan NGO that carries out research and implements HIV, reproductive health, gender-based violence and community health programs reaching over 1 million individuals across Kenya annually. She has managed grants from various donors including USAID, CDC, UK government, UN agencies and various foundations. She is a Medical Doctor with an MBA in Health Care Management with over 15 years’ program management and research experience in government and NGO sectors. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Global Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She is a fellow of the inaugural Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa 2018 program and winner of the Trocaire Oscar Romero award 2021 for protecting vulnerable communities during COVID-19. She is a member of various national and international technical working groups, has contributed to Kenyan and global WHO guidelines and provided technical support for policy development. She has published several peer reviewed articles and documents.
Dr. Hellen Barsosio
Dr. Hellen Barsosio is one of the Chief Investigators for the C-it DU-it: Community Data Use for Integrated ANC project. In her role as Assistant Principal Clinical Research Scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute’s Centre for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), she brings extensive experience leading maternal and newborn health research. Under the C-IT-DU-IT project, Dr. Barsosio collaborates with LVCT Health and other partners to co-design and implement innovative community-based interventions aimed at strengthening health systems and improving the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare. Her work emphasizes the pivotal role of community health systems in advancing maternal health outcomes, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Dr. Barsosio is also a Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellow (2025–2030), further highlighting her commitment to advancing science, innovation, and leadership in global health.
Professor Miriam Taegtmeyer
Prof Miriam Taegtmeyer. Is the Head of Department of Clinical Sciences and co-Director of the Institute of Resilient Health Systems at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. I work as a consultant physician in infectious diseases. Trained in infectious diseases, public health and education, I have a rare combination of skills that have enabled me to design and lead high quality implementation research, bridge disciplines and facilitate networks at the interface between the community and health systems. My publications on new diagnostic tests, cost effectiveness, demand creation, community outreach, and appropriate models of service provision have informed WHO policy and Ministry of Health guidelines on HIV testing, lung health, vaccine hesitancy and on community health in sub-Saharan Africa. I proactively created opportunities to transfer lessons from the Global South to the Liverpool context (e.g. introducing rapid HIV tests to Liverpool, bringing lessons to the Liverpool COVID-19 response, adapting community-led approaches to improve vaccine equity in Liverpool and hosting a high-profile exchange programme for Kenyan and UK local government). I am known for my mentoring approach, my people skills and have significant leadership and management experience, having established and run a large Kenyan NGO and led several multi-county studies. In 2015, I was included in the Graduate Institute list of 300 Women Leaders in Global Health.
My international research focuses on strengthening healthcare systems to ensure they deliver high-quality, equitable care, even in times of crisis. I explore how healthcare services – such as HIV treatment, vaccinations, antenatal care, and chronic disease management – can be improved and made more accessible, particularly for underserved communities.
A key part of my work is understanding how health systems prepare for and adapt to challenges like pandemics, economic pressures, or natural disasters. I study how these systems can maintain essential services while evolving to meet changing needs. By identifying and promoting effective strategies, my research helps policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities build more resilient systems that ensure everyone receives the care they need, no matter the circumstances
