Dr. Chanda Mwansa
Neurology Fellow · University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka · TRENNDZ Fellow since 2024
Dr. Chanda Mwansa
Neurology Fellow, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka
Professional Background
Dr. Chanda Mwansa is a Neurology Fellow at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia, specialising in adult and paediatric epilepsy. He completed his MBChB at the University of Zambia School of Medicine and undertook postgraduate clinical training in internal medicine and neurology at UTH before joining the TRENNDZ programme in 2024.
His clinical work focuses on patients presenting with epilepsy across the lifespan, with particular interest in seizure semiology, access to antiseizure medications, and the social consequences of epilepsy in resource-limited settings. He contributes to the neurology outpatient and inpatient services at UTH, one of Zambia’s primary centres for neurological care, and has been involved in data collection for several ongoing observational studies.
Through TRENNDZ, Dr. Mwansa is developing skills in epidemiological study design, biostatistics, and scientific communication, with a long-term goal of leading independent research programmes that address the significant treatment gap for epilepsy in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa more broadly.
Areas of Expertise
- Epilepsy (adult and paediatric)
- Seizure semiology and electroencephalography
- Antiseizure medication access and adherence
- Neurological epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa
- Clinical research methods and biostatistics
Mission Statement
My mission is to close the epilepsy treatment gap in Zambia—to ensure that people living with epilepsy in under-resourced communities have access to accurate diagnosis, effective medication, and the continuity of care that gives them a chance at a full life. Through research, I aim to generate the evidence our health system needs to make that possible.
This mission underpins Dr. Mwansa’s fellowship within the TRENNDZ programme, where he is building skills in epidemiological study design, biostatistics, and scientific communication to improve epilepsy care in Zambia and across sub-Saharan Africa.
Research & Projects
- Epilepsy treatment gap in peri-urban Lusaka (2024–ongoing): A cross-sectional study characterising the proportion of people with active epilepsy who are untreated or under-treated, and identifying key barriers to care in peri-urban communities.
- Seizure semiology and aetiology in newly presenting epilepsy at UTH: A prospective case series documenting seizure types, electroencephalographic features, and suspected aetiologies in new epilepsy diagnoses at the UTH neurology clinic.
- Antiseizure medication adherence and outcomes: An observational study investigating factors associated with medication adherence and seizure control in patients with epilepsy followed at UTH outpatients over 12 months.
Gallery
Additional photographs of Dr. Mwansa in clinical and research settings will be added here.
Mentors & Collaborators
- M. Kvalsund – University of Zambia / TRENNDZ (Primary Mentor)
- D. Bearden – University of Rochester Medical Center (International Co-Mentor)
- M. Asukile – UTH Adult Hospital, Lusaka (Clinical Supervisor)
Publications & Presentations
- Mwansa C, Kvalsund M, Bearden D, et al. Characterising the epilepsy treatment gap in peri-urban Lusaka: preliminary findings. Presented at the TRENNDZ Annual Research Symposium, Lusaka, July 2025.
- Mwansa C, Asukile M. Antiseizure medication adherence and seizure control at a tertiary neurology clinic in Zambia: a 12-month observational study. Abstract submitted, Epilepsia Open, 2026.
