Hiwote G. Assefa
AfOx Fellow 2025
Dr. Hiwote G. Assefa is a pediatric surgeon and faculty member at Saint Paul’s hospital Millennium medical college in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is widely recognized for her expertise in neonatal and paediatric surgery, with a particular focus on trauma care and systems improvement. Her clinical leadership is matched by a strong academic portfolio, including publications in international journals and presentations at global conferences.
Her recent multicenter study on paediatric trauma has highlighted critical gaps in care and informed the need for national protocol development, catalysing policy advocacy efforts. Her work is driven by a commitment to health equity, systems-level thinking, and capacity building in low- and middle-income countries. She mentors surgical residents in both clinical and research domains, fostering the next generation of African surgical leaders.
Her long-term vision includes establishing national trauma registries. As an AFOX Visiting Scholar, Dr. Assefa seeks to collaborate on research, policy, and training initiatives that strengthen paediatric trauma care across Africa and globally.