Andrew Nyaoncha
Dr Andrew Nyaoncha is a Kenyan neurosurgeon bringing cutting-edge brain and spine care to communities that once had to travel hundreds of kilometres for treatment. A graduate of the University of Nairobi, he completed general-surgery residency at Kenyatta National Hospital before earning fellowships in neurosurgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and COSECSA.
Since 2019 he has been consultant neurosurgeon at Consolata Hospital Mathari and Nyeri County Referral Hospital, where he has performed more than 300 complex procedures, ranging from endoscopic pituitary tumour excisions to minimally invasive lumbar fusions, while maintaining post-operative infection rates on par with leading global centres. He introduced the region’s first intra-operative ultrasound service, cutting surgical time for hydrocephalus shunt placements by 40 percent, and set up a 24-hour tele-consult line that now handles 1,200 emergency triage calls a year.
Passionate about capacity-building, Dr Nyaoncha mentors medical officers through a two-year skills pathway that has already produced six fully independent spine surgeons. He teaches neuro-anatomy at Egerton University, runs public “Brain Health Sundays” in rural parishes, and produces short Kiswahili videos demystifying everything from concussion care to scoliosis screening.
His current mission is to establish the Central Kenya Neurosurgical Centre of Excellence, featuring a hybrid operating theatre and fellowship slots for young surgeons from across East Africa.