Friday Saidi

Dr. Friday Saidi, MD, MMED, FCOG (ECSA), is a Specialist Obstetrician-Gynecologist based in Malawi. He serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as a Research Investigator with UNC Project–Malawi, where his work focuses on maternal health, birth outcomes, the vaginal microbiome and HIV prevention among pregnant and breastfeeding populations. He leads multiple clinical trials in women’s health, including studies of long-acting injectable Cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for HIV prevention and is Principal Investigator for an observational study evaluating the safety of CAB-LA among pregnant and breastfeeding women in Malawi. As a member of the Ministry of Health’s CAB-LA Expert Committee and the Lenacapavir Taskforce, he also contributes to national HIV prevention policy and guideline development.

Dr. Saidi is the National President of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Malawi (AOGM), a role that reflects his strong national leadership in maternal and reproductive health. In addition to this position, he provides clinical care as a Consultant Obstetrician-Gynecologist at Kamuzu Central Hospital’s Maternity Unit and serves as an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (formerly the University of Malawi College of Medicine). He is also a Fellow and Trainer with the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ECSACOG). Dr. Saidi has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and holds influential international roles, including serving on the FIGO Committee on Infections During Pregnancy (2023–2027), highlighting his commitment to advancing maternal and child health globally.