As a paediatrician, researcher, and person living with type 1 diabetes, Dr. Leonard Malasa is working to build the knowledge needed for better care.  

For Dr. Leonard Malasa, type 1 diabetes is both a professional commitment and a personal reality.

As a paediatrician and lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Kairuki University, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, he trains future healthcare professionals, mentors young researchers and provides care for children with chronic diseases. At the same time, he is also living with type 1 diabetes himself.

A Family Story Shaped by Diabetes 

Type 1 diabetes has been part of his family’s story for many years. His older brother was diagnosed with the condition at a young age, but only after a prolonged period of illness and visits to several health facilities. Unfortunately, the diagnosis came too late to save his life. The dual experience as a healthcare professional and a person living with diabetes has given him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by people with type 1 diabetes in Tanzania.

Nothing About Us Without Us

“Nothing about us without us,” Leonard says when describing his engagement in diabetes research and advocacy. Living with the condition helps him understand the realities that patients face beyond the clinic and motivates him to contribute through clinical care, research, education and mentorship

Why Data Matters

Photo: Dr. Leonard Malasa (center) is pictured alongside his medical students

One of the challenges he sees most clearly is the need for stronger knowledge systems. Across Tanzania, access to specialised diabetes services has improved substantially, but generating the evidence needed to further improve care remains difficult. In Sub-Saharan Africa, data are often fragmented, collected in different ways and not always brought together in systems that can support research, quality improvement and decision-making.

For Leonard, this is why strengthening data infrastructure must become part of the broader effort to improve diabetes care.

“Data is critical,” he explains. “It helps healthcare providers plan services, informs policymakers and provides the evidence needed for research.”

Strengthening Research Across Africa 

This commitment extends beyond his own institution. The Early-Career Researcher Network on Type 1 Diabetes brings together early-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries to strengthen collaboration, build research capacity, and improve the use of data for better diabetes care. As part of the network, Leonard is working with colleagues across Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen research capacity and improve the quality of diabetes data.

Through a series of webinars, collaborative assignments, and cross-country exchanges, the network aims to build stronger foundations for research, clinical care, and policy-making. For Leonard, better data is not an end in itself. It is a tool for making better decisions and ultimately improving the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes.

Training the Next Generation 

Alongside this work, Leonard is already investing in the future. He mentors students interested in diabetes research and hopes to establish a dedicated type 1 diabetes research programme at his institution.

“Training, training, training,” he says when asked where he can make the greatest contribution. “My responsibility is to make sure that students graduate with the skills needed to care for individuals with diabetes.”

For Leonard, building better diabetes care starts with building capacity – in people, in research, and in the data systems that make progress possible.