Dr. Mwaka Mutale
Neurology Resident Researcher · University Teaching Hospital / University of Zambia · TRENNDZ Fellow since 2023
Dr. Mwaka Mutale
Neurology Resident Researcher, UTH / University of Zambia
Professional Background
Dr. Mwaka Mutale is a Neurology Resident Researcher at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the University of Zambia, where her work focuses on stroke epidemiology and cerebrovascular disease in urban Zambia. She graduated from UNZA School of Medicine and has been an active member of the TRENNDZ programme since 2023, one of its longest-serving fellows.
Her clinical practice at the UTH Adult Hospital neurology ward brings her into daily contact with patients presenting with acute stroke, and she is acutely aware of the critical role that hypertension plays as the leading modifiable risk factor for stroke in sub-Saharan Africa. Her research is motivated by the need to generate locally relevant data to guide prevention strategies and improve acute care pathways.
Dr. Mutale is building a portfolio of research skills in epidemiological methods, clinical data collection, and scientific writing through TRENNDZ, with mentorship from investigators at UTH and the University of Rochester. She aims to establish a stroke research programme in Zambia that can inform national policy and clinical guidelines.
Areas of Expertise
- Stroke epidemiology and cerebrovascular disease
- Hypertension and vascular risk factor management
- Acute stroke care and pathway improvement
- Clinical research and epidemiological methods
- Scientific writing and knowledge translation
Mission Statement
Stroke is preventable, and hypertension is the most powerful lever we have. My mission is to build the evidence base that makes prevention real — to understand who is at risk, why they are not being reached, and how we can redesign care so that more people in Zambia survive a stroke and recover their lives. I want this research to shape national policy, not just academic papers.
This mission is at the heart of Dr. Mutale’s work as a TRENNDZ fellow, where she is using mentored research, skills training, and collaboration across UTH, the University of Zambia, and international partners to generate the data needed to strengthen stroke prevention and care in Zambia.
Research & Projects
- Stroke incidence and risk factors in urban Lusaka (2023–ongoing): A prospective hospital-based study characterising the demographic profile, vascular risk factors, stroke subtypes, and short-term outcomes among patients admitted to UTH Adult Hospital with acute stroke.
- Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in stroke patients: A cross-sectional study examining the proportion of stroke patients with known hypertension who were on treatment and had achieved blood pressure control at the time of their event.
- Stroke care pathway audit at UTH Adult Hospital: A quality improvement study reviewing time-to-treatment metrics, neuroimaging access, and discharge outcomes for stroke patients, identifying actionable gaps in the acute care pathway.
Gallery
Additional photographs of Dr. Mutale in clinical and research settings will be added here.
Mentors & Collaborators
- D. Saylor – University of Rochester Medical Center (International Mentor)
- M. Asukile – UTH Adult Hospital, Lusaka (Primary Clinical Mentor)
- M. Kvalsund – University of Zambia / TRENNDZ (Research Methods Mentor)
Publications & Presentations
- Mutale M, Asukile M, Saylor D, et al. Vascular risk factor profile and stroke subtype distribution at a tertiary neurology centre in Lusaka, Zambia. Presented at the TRENNDZ Annual Research Symposium, Lusaka, July 2024.
- Mutale M, Kvalsund M. Hypertension control at stroke onset in a Zambian urban hospital cohort: a cross-sectional analysis. Abstract submitted, Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 2026.
