Advisory Board

Prof. Maha El Rabbat is a Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University.

She has been appointed as the WHO/ Director General Special Envoy on COVID 19 for EMR.

El Rabbat is a former Minister of Health and Population of Egypt and former Executive Director of the Middle East and North Africa Health Policy Forum. She has held several high-level political, academic, and leadership positions and has accumulated more than 35 years of public health teaching, strategic leadership, policy, advocacy, and operational expertise. She has also worked closely with national, regional, and international organizations as a public health expert on a wide range of public health issues and seeks through her work to strengthen regional public health and health systems and governance for human development particularly in middle and lower-income countries, in fragile settings, deprived areas and among vulnerable groups through evidence-based public health, capacity building, policy, knowledge exchange, and networking.

Her membership in multiple health committees and associations such as WHO Expert Reference Group on WHO Impact Framework; Advisory Committee for Health Research /EMRO; Expert Reference Group on UHC Priority Benefit Packages in EMRO; OIC RMNCH Network; Cross-sector CSO Advisory Committee /EMRO; has allowed her to be closely involved in observing and understanding regional and national public health needs and challenges. As an academic, she was part of the task force on accreditation and was responsible for Faculty’s community development and follow-up; she is also a founding member of the ethical research committee at Kasr Al Aini, Faculty of Medicine one of the first committees founded in Egypt.

During her two-year tenure as an elected Chairperson of the Public Health Department at Cairo University, she successfully led the reform of public health education, redirected and upgraded public health teaching, and brought new techniques, directions, and dimensions to postgraduate teaching and research. Working with other faculty members, she introduced new curricula related to emerging national and regional issues of importance and worked with a team from Indiana University to establish a research center dedicated to public health in Africa, contributed to the development of an innovative multidisciplinary degree in professional health economics at Cairo University, sought and succeeded in making public health issues a national priority through conduction of national stakeholders workshops, while reforming public health learning and teaching and supporting the university’s regional and African efforts.

Zohair Sebai, MBBCh, DTM, MPH, DrPH, MRCPG, is a professor of Family and Community Medicine. Since the time he graduated from Bernard-Nocht Institute in Germany with a postgraduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine and from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the USA with a Master and Dr. in Public Health. He was occupied by Health Promotion in the Arab World and he was the founder of two medical schools in Saudi Arabia, the president of the Arab Board for Family and Community Medicine, and the president of the Arab Society of School Health and Environment.

Prof. Sebai is the founder and shareholder of the Saudi German Hospital in Riyadh. For 12 years (2003-2015) he was the owner and president of Sebai Institute for education and training. At present, he is the Chairman of Saudi Bio Acid Co. and Arabian Safety Training Center, and the founder of Makkah Medical City (under establishment) in Makkah- Saudi Arabia.

Among his activities as a health promoter, Prof. Sebai was the Chairman of the Saudi Society for Family and Community Medicine, the Chairman of the Saudi Society of Health Promotion, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Saudi Journal of Family and Community Medicine. He has spoken at numerous conferences and served on editorial boards and as a reviewer of prestigious scientific journals and a member of several professional organizations such as the International Health Society (member, Board of Governors), American Public Health Association, and International Epidemiological Association.

Prof. Sebai is nationally known as a leader in the field of health education. For 15 years he presented a weekly program on health education on Saudi Television titled “Medicine and Life”. He is mostly occupied by innovative blended medical education based on guided self-learning and e-learning. He is the author of over 51 articles published in Saudi and international scientific journals and 32 books in English and Arabic. In the year 2000, he was selected as a Member at Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars, MJHUSS

Prof. Sebai has served as a member of Shoura Council (consultant council to the King) for 12 years and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Gulf University and WHO & UNICEF Short Term Consultant.

Prof. Aamer Ikram is an Executive Director National Institute of Health Pakistan.

Prof. Ikram graduated (MBBS) in 1987; did Diploma in Pathology (1990); MCPS (1991); Fellowship (FCPS) Microbiology (1998); clinical training in the UK (2005); and Ph.D. 2014. Qualified Diploma Occupational Safety Health & Environments; Diploma Disaster Management; Certificate in Emerging Infectious Diseases from the University of Iowa; Dual-Use Biosecurity from Bradford University. Excelled in the fields of biosafety, biosecurity, and infection control accomplishing courses from Harvard, Oxford, South Florida, Iowa, Chester, Bradford, UN, WHO, CDC, ABSA, etc. Attained Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) from American Biological Safety Association (US); Biosafety Professional (BSP) from Institute of Safety in Technology & Research (UK); and IFBA Certified Professional status. Awarded FRCP by Royal College Edinburgh (2012); FRCPath by Royal College of Pathologists London (2014); and Fellowship in Public Health from Royal Colleges UK (2018).

Prof. Ikram Holds multiple national and international portfolios including Chair Board of Directors International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA); member of Biosecurity & Health Security Interface Group WHO. Selected as member Executive Board IANPHI; Global Health Delivery Faculty, Harvard School of Public Health; adjunct faculty Emory University; Executive Council of International Society for Infectious Diseases; Ex-International Ambassador Society for Healthcare Epidemiology America. He is President of Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA); Ex-President Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Society (MMIDSP); Focal Point of Expertise for Medical Research, Higher Education Commission; Convener Microbiology Pakistan Health Research Council; and member of multiple National Working Groups. Actively engaged in academics and research. Has been Chief Editor of Infectious Diseases Journal Pakistan; and member of editorial boards of various national and international journals. 

Abdullatif Husseini is a professor of public health at Birzeit University (currently on sabbatical). He was the university's vice president for community affairs and the director of the Institute of Community and Public Health and the MPH program at Birzeit University. His research interests are rooted in improving the population's health by identifying the various determinants of health and targeting modifiable risk factors through evidence-based interventions.  Although his research focus has been on non-communicable diseases and their risk factors, especially diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, nutrition, and smoking, he occasionally works on infectious diseases, including brucellosis and hepatitis.  His work spans epidemiology, program evaluation, and capacity building in public health. He is a co-founder of the MPH program at Birzeit University and a principal founder of the MPH program at Qatar University. Husseini has authored over seventy scholarly articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and reports. Recently, he published two policy papers on public health and the war on Gaza.

Dr. Ahmed Darwish is a COVAX Coordinator Consultant with UNICEF, responsible for facilitating and expediting COVID-19 vaccine introduction and deployment to Syria

Dr. Darwish is an established epidemiologist and expert in the field of public health (especially vaccination and epidemiology), working mostly in the field of communicable disease control and prevention, especially vaccine-preventable diseases. Originally from Egypt, Dr. Darwish worked as a pediatric specialist during his early medical career, holding DCH, MPH, and Medical Doctorate in Public Health (Ph.D.).

With over thirty years of professional experience, Dr. Darwish has been involved with national and international entities such as WHO, UNICEF, INOGs, and governments in planning, leading, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating public health and Immunization Programs, as well as leading humanitarian aid emergencies such as VPDs outbreak Response (Polio, cVDPV-2 and Measles).

Dr. Darwish was a Senior Regional Public Health officer with the WHO, and in EMPHNET as a Regional Adviser and director of the Immunization and Polio Eradication Programs for the East Mediterranean Region, where he managed the successful implementation of Measles campaigns and the Middle East Polio Outbreak response, ensuring effective collaboration with national and international agencies to put in place the routine EPI for Syrian refugees in and out of camps.

Also, during this period, Dr. Darwish supported improving EPI/VPDs surveillance in Pakistan, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, Somalia, Iraq, and other countries in the region. He has also worked with MBGF/WHO as a senior consultant to support the planning and implementation of the regional ME Polio Outbreak Response in Northern Syria (based in Gaziantep, Turkey) during the Polio outbreak. He was a member of the Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC) for 3 years.

Between 2000 and 2010, Dr. Darwish was the Head of the WHO office in Punjab-Pakistan, responsible for planning and implementing WHO health programs, as well ensuring effective communication of the Immunization program goals, objectives at the sub-office level. He has also utilized his strong negotiation skills to deal with complex immunization emergencies, under challenging circumstances in Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Iraq.

Before the year 2000, Dr. Darwish worked as the National EPI manager, and director of the communicable disease outbreak control department in the MoH, Egypt. 

Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama is the Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities.

Prof. Salama is a holder of a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh University, United Kingdom. He is a holder of Master in Maritime Civil Engineering, from the Manchester United Kingdom as well. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Cairo University. He received the Excellency Award in 2006 and the State Award for Science in Engineering Science in 2012.

Prof. Salama is a Professor of Structural Engineering at Helwan University, Egypt. He was the Counselor of The American University in Cairo. He was the focal point between the Egyptian Authorities and AUC Administration. He maintained excellent contacts with ministries, Egyptian universities, and the Supreme Council of Universities to develop good relations with AUC and help implement the accreditation process for all AUC academic degrees.

Prof. Salama is the Former Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology of Egypt. He was also the former member of the Shura Council (upper house of the parliament of Egypt) and head of its housing committee.

Prof. Salama is the Chairman of the Management Engineering Society and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the President of the Executive Bureau of 57357 Foundation (Children Cancer Hospital). In addition, he is the Chairman of the Council of Housing and Building of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Formerly, Prof. Salama served as Chairman of the Housing and Building National Research Centre and President of Helwan University. He has worked as Professor of Civil Engineering and Chair of the University's Centre for Technology Development.

Prof. Borisch is a global public health expert.

Prof. Borisch studied medicine and modern history at the Universities of Kiel and Lausanne. Her academic cursus brought her to Würzburg, Paris, Philadelphia, Bern, and Geneva. She obtained the title of Privatdozent from the University of Berne and was appointed professor at the University of Geneva. She has published her scientific work extensively and was Editor of “Pathobiology” 2003- 2020 and is Co-Editor of the “Journal of Public Health Policies”. she also teaches patients and the broader public, on topics of health and disease, gender, and the global health situation.

Prof.  Borisch has a long experience in collaborating with international organizations, both at the UN level as well as at the European level. She also serves in different functions in the NGO sphere. President of Europa Donna, CEO of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, and board member of several other organizations and foundations. She is a professor of Public Health at the Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva. A medical doctor by training she first specialized in clinical pathology and was the director of the Institute of Clinical Pathology, the University of Geneva before orienting her work to Public Health. Her research interests include gender health, health systems, universal health coverage, and health governance.

In her life as a histopathologist, Prof.  Borisch was involved in cancer research with an emphasis on Non-Hodgkin-Lymphomas and other neoplastic lesions such as breast cancer. This led to up to her public health work in breast cancer screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Prof. Nejjari is a Specialist in Epidemiology and public health, Clinical research, Evaluation, and Data analysis. He is also the president of Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences.

Prof. Nejjari holds many degrees and qualifications from various universities. Prof. Nejjari obtained a certificate in the training of trainers in health research ethics from Baltimore (Maryland) in 2013 as well as a certificate in Quality Management in International Health from the University of Heidelberg in Germany in 2005.

Prof. Nejjari obtained his Ph.D. in clinical Epidemiology in 2006 from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Fez. He also received a Ph.D. in science (epidemiology and public health) from Bordeaux in 1995. In the early 90s, he earned his master's degree in clinical epidemiology and action evaluation in health from Nancy and MD – Doctorate in General Medicine from Rabat.  Furthermore, in the late 80s, he earned his Baccalaureate in experimental science from the University of Fez.

Prof. Nejjari has a long history of teaching and research. He has held several positions, including the Directorate of the National School of Public Health in Rabat, the Vice-Presidency of the Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences, the service chief and university hospital departments, as well as the Research Laboratory Management. Moreover, Dr, Nejjari was a former President of the Association of French-Speaking Epidemiologists.

Prof. Nejjari was also a WHO consultant and member of the Eastern Mediterranean Advisory Committee for Health Research from 2015 to 2018. Also, he worked as a researcher at the INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research) in Bordeaux from 1992 to 1995.

In the European Union (European Commission Directorate-General, Prof. Nejjari served as an expert for Education and Culture Education cooperation with non-EU countries in 2004. From 2004 to 2006 he served as a Vice-President of the “Tobacco prevention section International Union against tuberculosis and lung diseases”.

I am currently the Secretary General of Sudan Medical Specialization Board, and Director of Arab Health Specialization Board, Sudan Office, as well as a Senior Advisor to the Federal Minister of Health, and Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. I am also the Goodwill Ambassador for Health for Sudan. I am a highly recognized and established leader of top national institutions and advisors to several national and international organizations, as well as a highly skillful pediatrician with strong public health orientation and experience. With over 30 years experience in different aspects of medical and health care.

I graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University Khartoum and received my post graduate training as a pediatrician in University of Liverpool, UK, with additional post graduate degrees in communication and health education; Disaster Management and information technology. I have over 30 years experience in planning, implementing, monitoring, supervising and evaluating maternal, neonatal and child health and disease control programmes in developing and developed countries. I have played a key part in pioneering the implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) in Sudan and the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

I have vast knowledge and experience of the UN system, was the Chief of Health and Nutrition section at UNICEF, Sudan; Medical officer at WHO Sudan. I have taken several missions and assignments to assist EMR countries (Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, , Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen) in planning, adapting, implementing and reviewing the IMNCI programmes. I was appointed by WHO as an International Child Health Promotion Medical Officer for two years in post-conflict Afghanistan, and during this period I have developed innovative initiatives and interventions used to initiate and develop National Child Health and Nutrition Policies and help in developing national policies for management of all forms of malnutrition in women and children.

I have joined WHO Pakistan Country office and assisted their MoH in finalizing the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health National strategy documents. My technical contributions and in depth
knowledge culminated in establishing a National Maternal and Child Health (MNCH) program in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and have played an important role in strengthening the capacity of
National and partners at Federal, Provincial and District levels in implementing the Pakistan National Health Policy and the Devolution Process. Have supported the GoP in many areas
including strengthening the health system, resource mobilization through Global Fund, GAVI and Norwegian Pakistan Partnership (NPPI). Successfully led the massive humanitarian
operations during the Pakistan Earthquake 2005, Swat IDP crises of 2009 and The Megafloods of Pakistan in 2010, and coordinated all the emergency health relief interventions. I was an active member of the UN Task force for One UN Joint Programme in Pakistan, and the chairperson of the UN task force for developing and implementing a contingency plan for Avian Influenza.

Prior to my joining the UN system, I was a senior Government Official in different positions in Sudan including, State Minister of Health for Darfur State, Director General of Primary Health Care at the Federal Ministry of Health. During my tenure, I have restructured the PHC department to achieve new roles and accommodate new developments. Have led a number of essential reforms in the FMoH and developed the strategic plans, particularly, the initiation and finalization of the 25-years FMOH strategic plan (2000-2025).

I have been the Head of Mission and WHO Representative in Afghanistan and Yemen where I led two of the largest humanitarian operations along with the development components. In spite of all the difficulties and multiple frequent emergencies, I was able to successfully manage WHO core functions at country level and provided leadership in Advocacy, Partnership and Representation, Policy Development and Technical Cooperation, and Administration and management. I was an upstream policy adviser to the governments and promoted an effective health dimension to social, economic, environmental and development policy; Assessments of broad political trends at the global and regional level and their implications on national health
programmes and promoting coordination amongst health development partners.

In Policy Development and Technical Cooperation, I have managed to catalyze policy development through informed social and health policy options in ways that stimulate action and help to build sustainable national health systems and capacity in the health sector. During the UN evacuation from Yemen in 2015, I acted as the Humanitarian Coordinator as well as the UN Resident Coordinator for Yemen, and during this time I coordinated and managed all the Humanitarian interventions as well as controlling the different disease outbreaks that took
place in a very complicated operation due to the total siege of the country, and successfully managed to lead the access negotiation between the different fighting factions and mobilized considerable resources to Yemen humanitarian operation.

I have been elected by the WHA 2022 as senior staff member of WHO Staff Pension Committee. I am also a member of the TAG of WHO Global Code of practice on international recruitment of HealthPersonnel.

It is equally important to mention that I’m currently the Secretary General of the Sudan Medical Specialization Board which is the sole institute responsible for professional medical and allied health postgraduate training in Sudan, has over 10,000 Students currently enrolled in training in more than 150 accredited training sites mentored by 2,000 trainers all over Sudan, I am also the Director of Arab Health Specialization Board, Sudan Office and the Coordinator of the Egyptian Fellowship Board.

With regards to the COVID pandemic, I have played a paramount role during the efforts to manage and control COVID-19 Pandemic; while supporting the FMoH in managing and controlling the different disease outbreaks that occurred during the past few years.

Dr. Badr is a public health physician and a health workforce expert and strategist with over 20 years’ service in senior health systems and health workforce positions in Sudan and beyond.

Dr. Badr is a member of some important regional and global networks on health systems and the health workforce.  As a WHO health workforce consultant, he produced several reports on health workforce strategies, organizational development, and educational systems. He also published across health workforce development issues including migration.

Dr. Badr was the Deputy D.G. Health Workforce Development at the Federal Ministry of Health and President of the Academy of Health Sciences, a large, decentralized health professions education institution. He also served as Secretary-General for the Sudan Medical Specialization Board, the premier postgraduate medical education body in the country.

Dr. Badr has been widely involved in national, regional, and global health workforce initiatives. He is currently the Chairperson of the Community Medicine Council of the Arab Board of Health Specializations. His contributions included serving in several WHO expert and advisory committees, Dr. Badr recently joined the National Qualifications Authority in the UAE as an advisor and policy expert working on the project of the National Institute for Health Specialties aimed at the development of postgraduate medical education capacity.

Dr. Badr has recently been selected as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Academy of Public Health.

Prof. Ben Romdhane is a professor of preventive medicine and former director of the Epidemiology and Prevention Research Department on Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Tunis.

Prof. Ben Romdhane has coordinated several epidemiological studies on non-communicable diseases and implemented the Healthy Urbanization Project in Tunisia. She led the implementation of the first Tunisian cardiovascular disease registry and several European Union-funded projects. She also led the implementation of the first National Observatory on Women and the Ariana Healthy Urbanization Project. Prof. Ben Romdhane has coordinated many national studies on maternal mortality and gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health. She has advised different NCDs and women’s health initiatives in Tunisia and the WHO-EMRO region. She is currently coordinating the WHO-Project Urban Governance for health and wellbeing in Tunis. In 2001, she was awarded the Maghreb Medical Science Society Award for her work on cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention. She is a member of the Tunisian Scientific Committee on COVID-19 and She is the author of over 70 articles in peer-reviewed journals, ten monographs, book. chapters and more than twenty reports.

Prof. Ben Romdhane was formerly the Tunisian minister of health. She was also the CEO of the National Board of Family and Population. Prof. Ben Romdhane is the founder and the chair of the National Observatory of Social inequality on Health and the co-founder and chair of the Tunisian Society of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, co-founder and member of the Board of the Maghreb Network on Research on Health System (RESSMA), co-founder and chair of the National Observatory of Health Inequality and the co-founder and member of the Arab Public Health Association Executive Committee. She has advised as an expert in many WHO-EMRO region NCDs programs.

Prof. Ben Romdhane is nationally known as a leader in the field of public health training and institutional capacity building as she implemented many national and international training, courses, and diplomas and developed curricula for different health professionals.

Prof. Ben Romdhane was elected, through Distinction, as a Fellow in the Faculty of Public Health at the Royal College of Physicians in the UK and she was elected member of the Board of Trustee of the MENA Health Policy Forum.

Prof. Hassan Bella is the Professor of Family Medicine and Tropical Child Health

Prof. Bella is a holder of MD, Ph.D., DTM&H, FRSH 9University of London, member of many professional societies, Published more than 100 articles & books.

Prof. Bella acted as a consultant for the WHO, UNICEF & other NGOs, Professor of family & community medicine &tropical pediatrics, Senior Advisor, Sudan Medical Specialization Board, University of Dammam, university of Johns Hopkins, former Director, World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), Former Editor-in-Chief, Saudi Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences, and lecturer at London univ., Oxford, Oslo, Khartoum, and visiting professor in many American universities.

Dr. Kashef Ijaz is the Vice President for Health programs at The Carter Center.

Dr. Ijaz is a physician trained in public health, with expertise in infectious diseases, from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and holds certificates in public health leadership from the University of Alabama and in national preparedness and response leadership from the Kennedy School of Government and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. He speaks five languages and has more than 100 articles and presentations published in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences.

Dr. Ijaz holds an adjunct faculty appointment as Professor, Department of Epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. Previously, the Principal Deputy Director in the Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Global Health, at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he helped build disease detection and response capacity for global health security. At CDC, he also served as Deputy Director for science and programs in the Center for Global Health and Chief of the Tuberculosis Field Services and Evaluation Branch in the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention. He helped lead the CDC’s responses to the West Africa Ebola epidemic of 2014-16, the MERS-CoV outbreak of 2013-14, and the H1N1 pandemic of 2009.

In the past, Dr. Ijaz served as Medical Epidemiologist at the Arkansas Department of Health. He was the Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he did groundbreaking research on molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to help understand the transmission dynamics for tuberculosis both nationally and globally. He has worked extensively in Asia, Africa, and across the developing world on infectious diseases.   

Dr. Magid Algunaid, a Yemeni medical doctor specialized in Health Systems Management and Public Administration. In his capacity as a chairperson of different coordination committees and structures, such as HSCC/ICC, CCM, Dr. Magid has a robust background in Public Health Programs Management. These include managing the immunization program and coordinating with other governmental sectors, such as NGOs, local authorities and development partners.

During the period 1996-1999, Dr. Algunaid served as District Health Director in Ibb governorate at the Ministry of Public Health, Yemen. After that he was assigned as the Director of Health Insurance to hold the Director General of planning position and then hold the Director General of Health Policy and Technical Support Unit until mid 2004. In 2004, he was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Public Health and Population, Yemen.

During the period of 2008-2011, Dr. Magid was a board member with Gavi and Global fund. He was a member of the Program and Policy Committee with Gavi. In addition, he was a member of the EMR Regional Technical Advisory Group for immunisation between 2010 and 2015.

Professor Rahman is currently serving as Country Director, Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), Bangladesh Office, for the last three years. He served as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research (IEDCR) and the National Influenza Centre in Bangladesh for twelve years. He devoted 37 years to epidemiologic and public health research, surveillance of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and public health policies.

Professor Rahman played a key facilitator role in establishing the National Influenza Centre, Biosafety Level 3, Nipah Laboratory, and web-based disease surveillance in Bangladesh. He started the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP)/Master’s in Applied Epidemiology and Improving Public Health Management for Action (IMPACT) Courses at IEDCR with the support of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Currently, serving as the Chair of South East Asia Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEARCCPE), member of the Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis, Member of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication, member of the IHR Emergency Committee on Events Related to Poliomyelitis, taskforce member of the WHO’s Nipah virus research and development (R&D), Technical Advisory Group (TAG) member of Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases (APSED), Advisory Board Member of International Academy of Public Health (IAPH) and member of the IHR(2005) review committee on standing recommendations for COVID-19 and Monkey Pox. In addition, enlisted on the IHR roster of experts.

Nationally, currently serving as the Chair of the National Verification Committee (NVC) for Measles and Rubella/Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Elimination and Member NITAG- Bangladesh.

Served as a member of the IHR (2005) and Pandemic Influenza Review Committee formed by WHO DG, Chair and member of the Advisory Panel on PIP Framework to the Director General, WHO for six years, member of the SEAR Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEARCCPE), member of the Emergency Committee on MERS-CoV, and, Ebola Viral Disease, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Visceral Leishmaniasis of TDR/WHO, Executive Board Member of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (Working Group),  Expert Committee on Vaccine Strain Selection, Advisory Panel to WHO project on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine composition for the tropics, Member of the WHO Global Task Team (GTT) for pandemic influenza vaccine response (formerly termed as “switch”), member of the writing sub-team within GTT, Member of the Technical Working Group for Review of IHRMEF, TAG member of the Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR). Also served as Vice Chair, Oversight Committee for Bangladesh Country Co-ordination mechanism (BCCM) and member BCCM for about 17 years. In addition, served as a member of the Expert Review Committee for Polio eradication in Bangladesh, Managing Editor of the Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine and member National Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19 in Bangladesh and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of CEPI.

Nationally, currently serving as the Chair of the National Verification Committee (NVC) for Measles and Rubella/Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Elimination, Member NITAG- Bangladesh and member National AEFI Committee of DGDA. 

Conducted a good number of research in the field of both Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases. Served as Principal Investigator in phase three and phase four clinical trials. Led Measles Case Fatality Study, Hepatitis B Vaccine Efficacy Study, HIV Sero-prevalence Studies and National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey in Bangladesh. Authored 188 research publications and studies including 152 publications in peer reviewed journals.

Editor of "Text Book of Community Medicine and Public Health". Earned Masters in Primary Health Care Management from Mahidol University, Thailand and Ph.D in Epidemiology from University of Cambridge, UK.

Prof. Mayeh Omar is an Associate Professor in International Health Systems at the University of Leeds.

Prof. Omar’s professional interests and experiences range from teaching and research in health systems development and strengthening, strategic health planning, human resources and leadership, policy analysis and development, and training of health professionals - to the design and implementation of health reforms in less developed countries.

Prof. Omar is a senior academic and international health systems/health management consultant, specialized in health systems development with over 40 years of low-middle income countries experience, Prof. Omar spent five years at the Istituto Superior di Sanita’ in Rome, Italy, where he was involved in teaching, research and consultancy work in broad areas of health systems development.

Prof. Omar has worked for the Ministry of Health in Somalia for 12 years, as a teacher at Health Training Institutions, Director of Post-basic Health Training Centre, the Head of Co-ordination, and International Relations Division, and later as the Director of the Department of Planning in the Ministry of Health where he was also responsible for the development and implementation of mental health policies and programmes in the country. He has extensively worked in several countries (i.e., Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Peoples Republic of China, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan, Sultanate of Oman, Somalia, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe) both on long and short assignments.

Prof. Omar is also involved in supervising and examining postgraduate students at Ph.D. and Master levels. He acted as an internal examiner in Leeds and an external examiner in several universities in the UK and overseas. Prof. Omar has served as a consultant to several international organizations, such as British Council, Carter Centre, DFID, European Union, Global Fund, UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank among others. He has dedicated substantial time to establishing and developing the capacity of training institutions in several low-middle income countries for more than four decades. He trained hundreds of graduates and participants with innovative curricula, educational techniques, and technologies, introducing post-graduate problem-based learning and pioneering continuous professional development (CPD) initiatives for doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and other health professionals. His scientific production focuses on policy and planning, human resources development, community health and gender issues, mental health systems, and aspects of the interaction between the health service providers and the end-users

Prof. Rawaf is the chair of Public Health, Director of WHO Collaborating Centre in the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London, and Honorary Consultant Physician in the NHS.

Prof. Rawaf is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Public Health Medicine and a member of several editorial boards. He published over 250 scientific papers, five books, and many international reports and received many awards and recognitions including in 2015 a Life Achievement Award for innovative works in shaping health services, research, and medical education.

On Covid-19, he is a Member of WHO Technical Advisory Committee; Member of Scientific Advisory Group on Covid-19 Department of Health UAE; Imperial College Covid-19 Group: and Supreme Advisory Group on Covid-19 Iraq; published 4 papers so far on the subject and runs a weekly Webinar. Prof. Rawaf led on the development of many educational (Health System Development Module for MPH, Advanced Leadership, NCD, Acute Events and Emergency Responses, and other bespoke Training) and research programmes. His research interests are in health systems organization and management, primary care organization, public health, Diabetes, and other NCD, Covid-19, patient safety, training and medical education, and translation of research findings.

Prof. Rawaf is the chair of Public Health, Director of WHO Collaborating Centre in the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London, and Honorary Consultant Physician in the NHS. He acquired his qualification in medicine, with training in paediatrics and public health, and spent the breadth of his career in leading roles in the NHS; including 26 years as an Executive Director: County Medical Adviser, Medical Director, District Medical Officer, and Director of Public Health. In the latter 23 years of his service in the NHS, he served as the Director of Health in South-West London with full responsibility for the health service in and outside the NHS, from which he then moved to Imperial College as Professor of Public Health, and the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, which supports several WHO Regions and their Member States. Prof Rawaf is globally recognized for his international work and contribution to global public health, health systems development, and primary care in research and service delivery.  His work is well documented in supporting countries to strengthen their health systems, service development, and medical education. Prof. Rawaf is an adviser to the World Health Organization on primary care, public health, health systems, medical education and training, human resource for health, and Covid-19; a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians London and the UK Faculty of Public Health; a Member of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine Ireland; and the UK Faculty of Public Health Global Health Adviser. He is also involved in many national and international advisory committees. He supported many governments in strengthening their health system through reviews and educational programmes. These include most countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Hong Kong, among many others. He worked closely with Chinese colleagues to develop primary care in Shanghai, delivered training programmes in collaboration with Development Foundations, large hospitals, and provinces across China.

Prof. Laaser is a Professor at the University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld School of Public Health

Prof. Laaser studied medicine in Berlin, Freiburg, Hamburg, and Prague, his list of publications comprises more than 450 articles, books, and book chapters. Prof. Laaser received the Hufeland Price in Cologne 1979 and the Andrija Stampar Medal in 2008.

Since 1989 Prof. Laaser has been a professor at the University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld School of Public Health, and is visiting professor at the Centre School of Public Health and Management in Belgrade. His main interest is in postgraduate public health education, global health, and health policy. As principal investigator of the Stability Pact Project on Public Health Training and Research in South-Eastern Europe (2000-2010), he was rewarded as an honorary professor at the new Faculties of Public Health in Sofia and Tirana.

Prof. Laaser is also a professor at the Department of International Health at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences in Maastricht, and he was president of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) from 1993 – 1995 and is member of the ASPHER Honours Committee. In 2010 – 2012 he served as president of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) and from2015 - 2018 chaired the Advisory Board.

For the last decade, Prof. Laaser worked for various public health projects in South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Near East, and the Pacific Region. He organized the World Congresses of WFPHA on Public Health in Istanbul 2009 and Addis Ababa 2012.

Ziad Memish is currently a senior consultant in infectious diseases and Advisor to HE the Supervisor General of KSrelief for Medical & Humanitarian Research. Professor at the College of Medicine in Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Adjunct Professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Georgia, USA. 

Professor Memish obtained his MD from the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada in 1987 and is Board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Infectious Diseases as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Canada, Edinburgh, and London) and the American College of Physicians. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in Mass Gathering Medicine and Infection Control & established the WHO collaborating center for mass gathering medicine in the Ministry of Health and WHO Collaborating Center for Infection Prevention and Control and AMR in the Saudi Ministry of National Guard (Health Affairs). On a national level he was the first Deputy Minister for Public Health at Ministry of Health for 6 years (2009-2014) & is the chair of the national scientific technical advisory group for COVID-19 and the Chair of the technical advisory group on COVID-19 vaccine under the Royal Court. He received the King Abdulaziz Medal from the first degree in 2007, the highest national award for his achievements in Infectious diseases and infection control in KSA. 

He is the EIC of 3 medical journals: Journal of Epidemiology & Global Health (Springer Nature), Journal of Mass Gathering Medicine (Elsevier), and Doctor Sulaiman Alhabib Medical Journal (Wolter Kluwer). Also, Co-EIC of Clinical Infectious Disease Journal (Frontiers). He has presented extensively national and internationally and published more than 900 papers and book chapters.