Dr. Doris Macharia, President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF): Reaching the Last Mile to End Pediatric HIV
Updated: Sep 1
Dr. Doris Macharia, President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), joins Alberto Lidji on the Do One Better Podcast for a conversation about the global effort to end pediatric HIV and the challenge of reaching the children and families who remain underserved.
EGPAF has been working for more than three decades to improve outcomes for children and mothers affected by HIV. Today, its work spans 12 countries in Africa, working alongside governments and communities to strengthen HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care.
In this conversation, Dr. Macharia explains what she means by reaching the “last mile” and why the final stretch toward ending pediatric HIV can be among the most difficult. Alberto and Doris explore the barriers that continue to stand in the way, from poverty, stigma, and conflict to gaps in healthcare systems, diagnostics, treatment access, and follow-up.
They also discuss how African health systems can become more resilient and sustainable, why reducing families’ out-of-pocket healthcare costs matters, and how philanthropy can help sustain hard-won progress.
In this episode:
Why children continue to lag behind adults in knowing their HIV status
What it really means to reach the “last mile”
The importance of strong primary healthcare systems
How diagnostics, treatment, and community-based care can improve outcomes
The challenges created by poverty, stigma, conflict, and limited resources
Why sustaining progress may be as important as achieving it
The distinctive role philanthropy can play in addressing complex global health challenges
About Dr. Doris Macharia
Doris Macharia is a global health leader and physician with more than two decades of experience advancing HIV prevention, treatment, and health equity across Africa and beyond. As the President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), she leads with clarity, compassion, and a lifelong commitment to ensuring that no child is born with HIV and no mother is left behind.
Her journey began in Kenya during the height of the HIV epidemic. As a young physician, she treated patients in Nairobi hospitals where there were no antiretroviral therapies, and few answers. That early heartbreak became a turning point. “You could manage the symptoms,” she says, “but not the cause.” When she joined the CDC to work in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, she saw what was possible when health care is rooted in trust, equity, and access.
Macharia has since held senior leadership roles at organizations including FHI360, RTI, UNICEF, and ICAP at Columbia University. She has designed and led large-scale programs spanning HIV, tuberculosis, reproductive health, and maternal and child health, impacting millions of lives across more than 20 countries.
At EGPAF, her leadership is grounded in lived experience, informed by science, and driven by the belief that communities know what they need, we just need to listen. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, Dr. Macharia believes representation is power. “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers,” she says. “It’s about building trust so others can help you find them.”
She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter and still draws strength from the stories of the women and families she has served throughout her career.