Master of Medicine students from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) – Dr. Vincent Munene and Dr. Resty Musigula – presented their published research at the 3rd Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases (INSPiRED), held from June 26 – 29, 2025, in Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
The duo joined leading researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals from around the world to showcase innovative findings through e-poster presentations, thus contributing to shaping the future of pediatric respiratory care.
The two doctors are currently pursuing their studies in the Department of Child Health and Paediatrics at JKUAT.
They presented individual research findings that have since been published under the supervision of faculty members, including Dr. Justus Simba and Dr. Patrick Mburugu, both pediatric health experts at JKUAT, together with Dr. Michuki Maina and Dr. Elizabeth Jowi.
Dr. Musigula’s research, titled: “Uptake of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Outcomes Among Newborns Admitted in Three County Hospitals in Nairobi,
Kenya,” examined the implementation of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a World Health Organization-recommended intervention for managing respiratory distress.
Her study highlighted the effectiveness of CPAP particularly in low-and middle-income countries. It further revealed that addressing barriers such as limited equipment, inadequate infrastructure, workforce shortages, and minimal family involvement is essential to improve CPAP uptake and reducing neonatal mortality rates.
Dr. Munene’s research focused on adherence to national guidelines in the management of acute asthma and its short-term outcomes among children at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, Kenya.
Asthma remains a major global health concern, affecting over 300 million people worldwide. To address this, there are clinical guidelines that provide healthcare practitioners with standardized approaches to managing and improving patient care.
Dr. Munene’s study revealed that while there was adherence to recommended protocols during the initial assessment of children with acute asthma, subsequent management and discharge instructions were not consistently followed. Interestingly, this poor adherence did not have a significant impact on the length of hospital stay.
These two research studies, which drew collaborative insights from JKUAT, Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), offer critical evidence which could inform pediatric respiratory care policy and practice.
The findings are especially significant for Kenya and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the burden of childhood respiratory illnesses remains high and healthcare resources are often limited.
The two doctors believe that the practical recommendations provided by their research can help improve pediatric care outcomes, reduce mortality, and optimize the use of available healthcare infrastructure. This would strengthen Kenya’s healthcare delivery and on the other hand add invaluable data to Africa’s broader efforts to enhance child health outcomes.
INSPiRED is the only global congress dedicated exclusively to pediatric respiratory diseases, with a mission to advance respiratory care for children worldwide.
The congress provided a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in pediatric respiratory diseases through plenary sessions, workshops, and in-depth discussions covering a wide range of topics.
The topics range from respiratory infections to advanced diagnostic procedures and emerging therapies, while providing a platform for researchers to gain international recognition and engage with global experts in the field.
