Rita Oladele, MBBS, FMCPath, FRCPath, PhD, FECMM
Vice President ISHAM
Chair, Pan Africa Mycology Working Group (PAMWG)

A Professor of Medical Microbiology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. With over 15 years’ experience as a clinical microbiologist. Principal investigator of the Nigeria Fungal Diseases Surveillance and Capacity Building project.

Single handedly driven education on suspicion and diagnosis in the at-risk groups in Nigeria, by hosting forums for training multidisciplinary clinicians and scientists. This cumulated in establishing a Medical Mycology Society in Nigeria, with a membership strength of 104. Led the training of over 1600 healthcare workers on the diagnosis and management of serious fungal infections over the last 7years.

Founded with guidance from ISHAM, the PAMWG. The group has successfully established a network of scientists and clinicians in over 14 African countries, hosted her 1st scientific meeting in May 2023 and hosted a “hands-on” training for laboratory scientist from 8 African countries in 2024.

I am a member of the WHO advisory group on priority fungal pathogens. Co-authored 4 international guidelines. Published over 160 peers reviewed articles with over 10,391 citations with an H-index of 35 and i10-index of 72.