Monica Adhiambo Onyango, RN, MPH, MS, PhD, is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH). Dr Onyango is the current director of the Global Health Context Certificate. She is also a visiting Professor at the Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi. Dr. Onyango has over 30 years in health care delivery, management, teaching and research. At BUSPH, she currently teaches courses in managing disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies, sexual and reproductive health in disaster settings, global reproductive and perinatal health, immigrant and refugee health in the United States, preventing sexual and intimate partner violence and individual community and populations health.
Dr Onyango’s research interests and publications focus on sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, the role of nurses and midwives in improving health status of populations globally and health care among populations forcibly displaced by natural disasters and war. Her recent research projects include: examining sexual and reproductive health and transactional sex among forcibly displaced populations in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey; exploring the role of resilience in mental wellbeing and utilization of health services among Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon; engaging school stakeholders and communities to reduce HIV stigma and improve antiretroviral therapy adherence among adolescents in western Kenya and exploring the mental health challenges among African immigrants in Massachusetts, United States.
Dr. Onyango’s previous experiences before BUSPH include Kenya Ministry of Health for ten years as a nursing officer in management positions at two hospitals and as a lecturer at the Nairobi’s Medical Training College, School of Nursing. Dr. Onyango also worked as a health team leader with international non-governmental organizations in relief and development in South Sudan, Angola and a refugee camp in Kenya, where she led the design and implementation of community-based health services and maternal and child health programs for refugees and internally displaced populations.
Dr. Onyango co-founded the Global Nursing Caucus (GNC), whose mission is to advance the role of nursing in global health practice, education and policy through advocacy, collaboration, engagement and research, and Circle of Adolescent Health-Kenya to create environments where adolescents and young people lead a healthy life regardless of where they live. She holds a PhD in Nursing from Boston College, a Master of Science (nursing) degree from Boston College, a Master in Public Health degree from Boston University School of Public Health, Diploma in Advanced Nursing from Nairobi University, Diploma in general nursing and midwifery from Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi. Dr Onyango is also a registered nurse by Massachusetts Board of Nursing.