Dr. James Nyikal, CBS
Permanent Secretary

DR. JAMES WAMBURA NYIKAL is the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development (MGCSD) since October 2008. Prior to his appointment to MGSD he was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation since April 2008.
Born on 22nd June 1951,Dr.James Wambura Nyikal went to Ngere Primary School then proceeded to Onjiko Secondary School for his O`level. After successfully completing his O`level, he was admitted to Nakuru Secondary School, Nakuru, where his did his East Africa Advanced Certificate of education .He was admitted to the University of Nairobi in 1972 as an undergraduate in the school of Medicine.
Dr.Nyikal is a Pediatrician /neonatologist and a Medical Scholar by profession, having graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi in 1977 and a Masters degree in Pediatrics and child health in 1984, and fellowship in New Born Medicine at Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne Australia in 1992.

During his medical career he served as the Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health from 2003 until the restructuring of the Ministry of Health in April 2008. He worked in various government hospitals and Private run hospitals (including Kenyatta National Hospital, Aga Khan, Nairobi, and M.P Shah among others) as a consultant pediatrician/ neonatologist prior to his appointment to public service. He was a lecturer in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Nairobi between 1987 up to 1996, a fellow and registrar in New Born Emergency Transport Services and Neonatal Intensive care at Monash Medical Center, Australia between 1990 and 1992.
Dr.Nyikal has done several scientific research work including supervising thesis on Masters in Medicine. His Scientific research work include, Community based control of Leprosy in Yimbo,Siaya district,Kenya,1976,(co-authored), Oral Diazepam in management of Tetanus: Annual Medical Scientific Conference ,Eldoret,Kenya,1984 , Social background of Children admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital with Kwasiokor:M.Med thesis,1984 , among others.

Part of his achievement in the health sector as Director of Medical services, was initiation and directing preparation and implementation of the Second National Health Sector Strategic plan (NHSSpII) which resulted to drastic improvement of health indecies in Malaria control, HIV/AIDS control and under five immunization. He also established a process for controlled movement of nurses from Kenya to other countries. The community strategy in NHSSPII has contributed to improved community participation in health care in Kenya.
In 1982 he founded a Housing Co-operative Society for medical doctors where he served as the Society’s Secretary for 8 years. The society has constructed over 200 houses for purchase by doctors and is still active in constructing residential houses for doctors.
From 1997 to 2003 Dr. Nyikal was the Chairman of Medical Association (KMA), the National Welfare organization of medical practitioners. Over the same period he was the vice chairperson for the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board in Kenya.

During his tenure as chair person of the medical Association, he initiated many innovative programmes. These included a Savings Cooperative Society for Doctors, a professional indemnity scheme, a resource centre and the first Antiviral Treatment Training Programme in the country. Dr. Nyikal also established the KMA plot development committee which is now constructing a massive multimillion dollar multipurpose KMA headquarters. Besides his many remarkable achievements he mobilized the Medical Association of the East African Countries culminating into the first East African Federation of medical Associations. Ministers of Health of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were thus able to hold the First East African Health Ministers meeting in Eldoret, Kenya in 2002. The significant outcome of this meeting was regular meetings of East African Health Regulatory Council’s board and its expansion to include countries in Eastern and Southern African Countries. These meetings have resulted into the ongoing efforts to have a single medical curriculum for the region. As the chairman of the Finance Committee of medical practitioners and Dentists Board he successfully initiated the purchase of a plot and current offices for the Board.
He was a member of the executive board of the World Health Organization from 2004 to 2008 where he (together with others) spearheaded advocacy for African Interests in the executive board and WHO assembly. This is the same period WHO executive board members from developing countries called for a resolution by the WHO assembly for a framework for application of Intellectual property rights without constraint to Public Health. This led to formation of an Intergovernmental Working Group in which Kenya was elected as Vice Chairperson on Behalf of the African Region of the WHO.

As a member of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, he played a key role in the first medical Tribunal in the Country when a chief Justice died in suspicious circumstance at a Nairobi Hospital.
Dr Nyikal believes it is possible to achieve a society where women, men and children enjoy equal rights, opportunities, and high quality of life and vulnerable people are supported by a social protection framework for the whole country. This can be done through the Vision 2030 framework and implementation of the strategic plan (2008-2012) of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development.
Dr. Nyikal is known for selfless dedication to duty in serving the public.
He is married and has five children.