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Andrea Barnabas Pembe is distinguished Tanzanian medical Professor, Researcher, and Consultant. He holds a Doctor of Medicine Bachelor Degree, Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and a PhD in Medical Sciences from Uppsala University, Sweden. He has served in different capacities at MUHAS, including a former Vice Chancellor (2018-2023), where he gained institutional governance experience to manage complex, multi-million dollar budgets and multi-center collaborations successfully. He is a member of a number of professional and non-professional boards.
My research is focused on Reproductive Health (RH), maternal and child nutrition, and biased in quality of health care, public health, health systems and implementation science. I have served as a Principal Investigator (PI) and co-PI on several international collaborative projects (Sida, European Union, and Gates Foundation), and locally funded and implemented grants, I have acquired expertise in leadership, administrative, organizational and project management skills, training capability and motivation necessary to successfully carry out a wide range of research projects and teaching in Reproductive, Maternal and Child health. To this end, research and implementation science works have been key to my strong ties with Ministry of Health, regional, district and health facility administrations, and communities to make it possible to successfully recruit and track participants over time. I take seriously the importance of frequent regular communication with project members and other stakeholders, as well as preparation of realistic research plan, timelines, and budget.
Through collaborative research and co-supervision/mentoring of students (completed 32 Master- and 6 Ph.D.- students), I have disseminated my research work in more than 130 publications in peer-reviewed journals, national and international scientific conferences, symposia, and book chapters.
1. Scaling risk-based aspirin prevention for pre-eclampsia in Tanzania. Gates Foundation, Lead and PI (2026-2029).
2. Tanzania policy platform translating maternal, newborn evidence to action. Gates Foundation, Co-Lead (2026-2029).
3. Multiple Micronutrient Supplements - Postpartum Optimized Supplementation Trial (MMS-POST): An individually randomized, four-arm, open-label superiority trial in Tanzania. Gates Foundation, Co-PI (2026-2028).
4. Optimizing Cervical Cancer Screening in Tanzania: Implementation and Evaluation of HPV Self-Sampling with the Daye Diagnostic Tampon Through UK-Tanzania Knowledge Exchange. University College London. Co-PI, (2025-2026).
5. Prognostic Testing to Enhance Clinical Triage of Preeclampsia in Africa (PROTECT-Africa): Biomarker Validation for Timely Intervention in Hypertensive disorders of Pregnancy. ACRN (Gates Foundation) – Co-PI (2026-2027).
6. Strengthening research training capacity for reproductive maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health in Tanzania, Coordinator RMNCAH+N sub-programme, Sida, (2024-2030).
7. Individually Randomized Trial of Higher Dose Iron (60 mg and 45 mg) Compared to Low Dose Iron (30 mg) in Multiple Micronutrient Supplements in Pregnancy on Moderate and Severe Maternal Anemia. Co-PI (2022-2027).
8. C-Safe: Optimising maternal and perinatal outcomes through safe and appropriate caesarean sections in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Co-PI (2022-2027).
9. ALERT – Action Leveraging Evidence Reduction of Perinatal Mortality and Morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Horizon 2020 European Commission. Co-PI (2020-2024).
10. Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender Elderly and Children, Global Fund for HIV, Malaria, TB. National surveillance of acquired HIV Drug Resistance in Tanzania, 2020. Co-PI
11. Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender Elderly and Children, Global Fund for HIV, Malaria, TB; National Antenatal Surveillance, 2020. Co-PI
12. Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender Elderly and Children, Global Fund for HIV, Malaria, TB; Data Quality Assurance for HIV response in Tanzania 2020. Co-PI.
13. Demonstrating Non-inferiority of Lower Dose Calcium Supplementation During Pregnancy for Reducing Preeclampsia and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes. Funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Co-PI (2018-2023).
14. Evaluating the impact of the Helping Mothers Survive – Bleeding After Birth (HMS – BAB) training programme to manage postpartum haemorrhage in health facilities in Tanzania. A Cluster randomized two-arm trial facility-based intervention. Funded by Loerdal Foundation. Co-PI (2015-2017).
Hanson C, Akuze J, Annerstedt KS, Alvesson HM, Sun S, Straneo M, Orsini N, Benova L, Gross MM, Marchal B, Snijders R, Chipeta E, Waiswa P, Kidanto H, Dossou JP, Pembe AB; ALERT Consortium. A multi-faceted hospital-based intervention for intrapartum care in sub-Saharan Africa: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial. Nat Med. 2026 Aug 26. doi: 10.1038/s41591-026-04599-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42649257.
Kikula A, Ngowi J, Porter Erlank C, Muhumba T, Mvunabandi S, Mbuguni Z, Naphtali G, Mtumbuka E, Ruhago G, Sunguya B, Pembe AB. 'I am now confident in the counseling and in inserting the loop': assessing the feasibility of providing hormonal intrauterine devices at the primary health care level in Tanzania. Glob Health Action. 2026 Dec;19(1):2721141. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2026.2721141. Epub 2026 Aug 27. PMID: 42657822.
Del Rosario Alsina M, Christou A, Wanduru P, Kandeya B, Abeid M, Chipeta E, Kidanto H, Pembe AB, Dossou JP, Waiswa P, Beňová L, Hanson C. (De)coding perinatal deaths: applying the International Classification of Diseases to perinatal mortality to a perinatal e-registry from 16 hospitals in Benin, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. Glob Health Action. 2026 Dec;19(1):2709890. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2026.2709890. Epub 2026 Aug 4. PMID: 42549782.
Molenaar J, Christou A, Beňová L, Pembe AB, Lange IL, van Olmen J. Indicator menus: Intentional reorientation in global maternal and neonatal health measurement. Soc Sci Med. 2026 Jul 21;406:119624. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119624. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42501578.
Solnes Miltenburg A, Uwamahoro NS, Mwanga JR, Lindskog BV, Misje R, Kihunrwa A, Pembe AB, Gilmore B, Mukumbang FC. Developing middle-range theories for the implementation of clinical practice guideline recommendations for pre-eclampsia prevention and management in eastern, central and southern Africa: a realist synthesis protocol. BMJ Open. 2026 May 27;16(5):e116839. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-116839. PMID: 42203303.
Sudfeld CR, Muhihi A, Sylvetsky AC, Metta E, Brownlee VS, Oakley EM, Bakari M, Fawzi WW, Kinyogoli S, Kuiper JR, Mugusi S, Pan Q, Sando MM, Wylie BJ, Masanja H, Smith ER, Pembe AB. Effect of iron dose in maternal multiple micronutrient supplement on perceived side effects, adherence, acceptability and preferences: protocol for a randomised crossover trial. BMJ Open. 2026 May 27;16(5):e118725. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-118725. PMID: 42203269.
Ali NB, Sudfeld CR, Muhihi A, Thomas T, Perumal N, Sando MM, Masanja HM, Partap U, Duggan CP, Kurpad AV, Dwarkanath P, Pembe AB, Fawzi WW. Effect of calcium supplementation in pregnancy on maternal anemia and iron status: Secondary analyses of two randomized trials in India and Tanzania. Am J Clin Nutr. 2026 Apr 29:101338. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101338. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42067065.
Pembe AB, Dwarkanath P, Kikula A, Raj JM, Perumal N, Paulo HA, M R, Duggan CP, Masanja HM, Chopra N, Sando MM, Thomas T, Yelverton CA, Muhihi A, Kurpad AV, Fawzi WW, Wylie BJ, Sudfeld CR. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes: two prospective cohort studies of nulliparous women in India and Tanzania. BMJ Glob Health. 2025 Jul 10;10(7):e016339. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016339. PMID: 40639854.
Yang W-C, Arsenault C, Fan VY, Leslie HH, Farooq F, Pembe AB, Getachew T, Smith ER. Antenatal corticosteroids for pregnant women at risk of preterm labour in low- and middle-income countries: utilisation and facility readiness. J Glob Health. 2025;15:04149.
