Christabel Kambala, PhD

Associate Professor Dr. Christabel Kambala is a distinguished lecturer, researcher, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in public and environmental health. Based at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), she has held key leadership roles, including Deputy Dean of Applied Sciences and Head of the Environmental Health Department. Her work bridges the gap between academic research and actionable public health policy, with a particular focus on maternal health, Water and sanitation, and human rights. Her Education & Qualifications includes a PhD in Public Health (2016) from Heidelberg University, Germany, a Master of Public Health (2007) from University of Glasgow, Scotland, BSc in Environmental Health (2001) – MUBAS (formerly The Polytechnic), Malawi and Diploma in Public Health (1998) – MUBAS, Malawi. Dr Kambala is an expert in mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) research design and data-driven insights,  sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health (MCH), WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), gender-based discrimination, and climate-resilient health systems and she leads high-level impact assessments on diverse public and environmental health issues, including human rights in tobacco-growing regions across Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique.

Currently, she is a co-investigator on the SURGeWater Project (2023–2026), focused on solar disinfection of rainwater for health facilities in Malawi, Adolescent Well-being co-leading research on how WASH influences adolescent health (NIHR funded, 2022–2026) and Social Inclusion – Leading work on barriers to gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) within Malawi’s energy transition (UKAID funded, 2025–2027). She delivers core curricula for BSc and MSc programs in Public and Environmental Health, serves as a peer reviewer for prestigious journals, including PLoS One, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, BMC Health Services Research, and Health Promotion International, among others and she has authored nearly 20 peer-reviewed articles in various peer-reviewed journals. She maintains active collaborations with global institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Strathclyde, University of Sheffield, Loughborough University, and University of Heidelberg.