Dr. Tigist Alemu

Dr. Tigist Alemu is one of a small number of trained rheumatologists in Ethiopia, practicing at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (Black Lion Hospital) in Addis Ababa, the country's flagship university teaching hospital affiliated with Addis Ababa University. With 11 years of experience, she plays a pivotal role in delivering rheumatology services to Ethiopia's 120 million population, where specialist rheumatologists are extremely scarce. She manages rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, and other autoimmune joint diseases using the best available therapies within Ethiopia's resource constraints. She is a member of AFLAR (Africa League of Associations for Rheumatology) and advocates for improved access to rheumatology care across the African continent.

Dr. Alemu earned her MD from Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, completing her internal medicine residency at Tikur Anbessa. She subsequently completed sub-specialty training in rheumatology through an Africa-focused rheumatology training programme supported by international rheumatology organisations. Her training included exposure to rheumatology centres in South Africa and Kenya, where she developed clinical skills in autoimmune disease management. She maintains active membership in AFLAR and participates in African rheumatology education initiatives.

Dr. Alemu manages the full spectrum of rheumatological conditions encountered in the East African context, including infective arthritis (which requires differentiation from inflammatory arthritis given the local epidemiology), rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, spondyloarthropathies, and gout. She performs joint aspiration and injection, interprets autoimmune serology panels, and designs and monitors DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drug) therapy. She also has experience with musculoskeletal ultrasound for joint assessment, a relatively advanced diagnostic tool in the Ethiopian setting.

Dr. Alemu consults in English and Amharic. International patients and aid organisation personnel based in Addis Ababa can access rheumatology consultation at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. While comprehensive international patient services are limited, Dr. Alemu is experienced in communicating with overseas rheumatologists and can provide diagnostic opinions and treatment plans that are internationally intelligible. She can also advise on local medication availability for rheumatology patients relocating to Ethiopia.

Dr. Alemu has received recognition from the Ethiopian Medical Association for her contributions to rheumatology service development in Ethiopia — she is one of a small number of trained rheumatologists in a country of over 120 million people, and her role in establishing rheumatology practice at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital is widely acknowledged. Her advocacy through the Africa League of Associations for Rheumatology (AFLAR) for improved rheumatology training, workforce development, and access to DMARDs in Africa has contributed to growing continental awareness of the rheumatology workforce crisis.

She has presented case series from the Ethiopian rheumatology clinic at African rheumatology and internal medicine congresses, contributing to the growing evidence base on rheumatological disease presentations in East Africa. She completed sub-specialty training through international rheumatology education programmes and maintains active engagement with the global rheumatology community.