Derby Tembo, MD
Paediatric Neurologist, Chipata Central Hospital — Eastern Province, Zambia
Honorary Lecturer in Paediatrics and Neurology, Mulungushi Medical University
Biography
Derby Tembo, MD, is a paediatric neurologist at Chipata Central Hospital in Zambia’s Eastern Province, where he leads neurology services for children and contributes to hospital-wide research and quality improvement. He also serves as an Honorary Lecturer in Paediatrics and Neurology at Mulungushi Medical University in Chipata and is a member of the Chipata Central Hospital Research Committee.
Dr. Tembo obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana, Cuba (2010–2017), and completed a Fellowship in Paediatric Neurology at the Zambia College of Medicine and Surgery / Levy Mwanawasa Medical University in Lusaka (2020–2024). In 2025, he founded the first dedicated paediatric neurology clinic in Zambia’s Eastern Province, where he assessed more than 300 children in its first year of operation.
He is a Good Clinical Practice (GCP)–certified clinical researcher with nearly a decade of combined clinical and research experience in resource-limited settings in Zambia. His work focuses on the neurological complications of common childhood diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, especially central nervous system malaria and sickle cell disease, and on strengthening paediatric neurology services and training in Zambia.
Dr. Tembo is the author or co-author of multiple peer-reviewed publications in paediatric neurology and related fields. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Nyanja, and Chewa. His ORCID iD is 0000-0001-5220-5735.
Current roles
- Paediatric Neurologist, Chipata Central Hospital, Chipata, Eastern Province, Zambia (2024–present)
- Honorary Lecturer in Paediatrics and Neurology, Mulungushi Medical University, Chipata, Zambia (2024–present)
- Member, Research Committee, Chipata Central Hospital, Chipata, Eastern Province, Zambia (2024–present)
Education
- Fellowship in Paediatric Neurology — Zambia College of Medicine and Surgery / Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, Lusaka, Zambia (2020–2024)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) — Latin American School of Medicine, Havana, Cuba (2010–2017)
Previous experience
- Paediatric Neurology Fellow, University Teaching Hospitals – Children’s Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia (2020–2024)
- Junior Resident Medical Officer, Chipata Central Hospital (2017–2020)
Languages
English, Spanish, Nyanja, Chewa
Personal statement
“I am a young paediatric neurologist and clinical researcher with nearly a decade of combined clinical and research experience in resource-limited settings in Zambia. My research focuses on the neurological complications of common childhood diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly central nervous system (CNS) malaria and sickle cell disease. I am Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certified, with ten peer-reviewed publications in paediatric neurological disease. I am fluent in English, Spanish, Nyanja, and Chewa.”
Research and clinical highlights
- Founded the first paediatric neurology clinic in Zambia’s Eastern Province (2025) — assessed over 300 children in its first year, most with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Neurological complications of CNS malaria — with a focus on acute kidney injury and other systemic complications among critically ill children.
- Stroke prevention in children with sickle cell disease — optimizing transcranial Doppler (TCD) screening and defining Africa-appropriate risk ranges.
- Paediatric autoimmune encephalitis — including case series and clinical characterization of children in Zambia.
- Neurodevelopmental disorders and rare paediatric neurological conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.
Selected publications
Selected peer-reviewed publications related to paediatric neurology and neurological complications of childhood diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Birbeck GL, Seydel KB, Mwanza S, Tembo D, et al. Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen in Pediatric CNS Malaria: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol. 2024;81(8):857-865. PMCID: PMC11165415.
- Tembo D, Mwanza S, Mwaba C, Dallah I, et al. Risk factors for acute kidney injury at presentation among children with CNS malaria. Malar J. 2022;21(1):310. PMCID: PMC9624036.
- Tembo D, et al. Optimizing Transcranial Doppler Screening for Stroke Prevention in Young African Children With Sickle Cell Disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025. DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31861.
- Tembo D, Chirwa U, Kawatu N, et al. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of acute stroke among children with sickle cell disease admitted to UTH–Children’s Hospital. Med J Zambia. 2025;52(3):322-331.
- Tembo D, et al. Pediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis: a case report of three Zambian children. Med J Zambia. 2024. DOI: 10.55320/mjz.51.1.482.
