.

From Ebola to COVID-19: Strengthening Africa’s Capacity to Address Emerging Global Health Threats (GET 2024 Conference)

Bobadoye Ayodotun B.Sc. Animal Science (University of Ibadan, Nigeria), M. Sc Animal Science (Federal University of Technology Akure Nigeria), Ex Masters Project Management (Project Management College London) and PhD Climate Change and Adaptation (Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi, Kenya). I was a research officer in African Technology and Policy Studies Network Nairobi Kenya (ATPS), a transdisciplinary network of researchers, policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society actors, promoting the use and mastery of Science, Technology and Innovations for African development with coverage in 30 countries (27 in Africa and 3 diaspora chapter in the Australia, USA and UK). I also had Nine (9) years Research and Teaching experience as a Principal Research Officer at the Department of Forest Conservation and protection; and Department of Agricultural Technology, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN).
While at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, i supervised and coordinated many climate change mitigation and adaptation research, and i was involved in many workshop training and capacity building programs especially in the area of climate change and forest conservation and protection within and outside Nigeria.
my PhD dissertation is titled “Vulnerability assessment of Maasai Pastoralists under changing climatic condition and their adaptation strategies in Kajiado County”. My PhD research focused on mapping vulnerability of Maasai pastoralists in Kenya to climate change and developing integrated adaptation strategies with the pastoralist communities.
I have personally supervised over 10 student research projects in the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation and i am a member of many professional organizations and has published over 15 journal articles in reputable journals. I am also a fellow of the prestigious Woodrow Wilson International center for scholars in Washington DC, USA

Innovations In Healthcare (AI): A Transformative Tool For Patients and Healthcare Organizations.

Dr. Eappen is an Assistant Professor of Healthcare Management at Cape Breton University and also serves as the Director of Clinical Services and Transition to Community at the Breton Ability Center (LOA). With over a decade of experience in hospital and healthcare management operations, Dr. Eappen has a solid academic background. Prior to joining Cape Breton University, he taught healthcare management at the University of Toronto, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Fanshawe College. Dr. Eappen also worked as a Director of Health Services and Chief Administrator of Healthcare Operations at the American University of Nigeria. Additionally, he has served as a faculty member at the American University and other universities and colleges.

Dr. Eappen holds a doctorate in healthcare administration from Central Michigan University in the United States, a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management, a Bachelor of Nursing, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in International Health. 

Dr. Eappen is a board director on various boards, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, Myeloma Canada, and Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplasia Canada. Dr. Eappen is also a long-serving member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Canadian College of Health Leaders. 

His research interests are focused on healthcare innovations, particularly healthcare informatics, and he has published various articles, book chapters, and books on the subject in recent years.

The Mental Toll: Understanding the Impact of Infectious Disease Outbreaks on Youth Mental Health in Africa

Dr. Frankline S. Wirsiy, a distinguished Global Public Health Professional with over a decade of experience, holds a PhD in Public Health. He currently serves as the Community Mobilization Coordinator for the second CAMPHIA Survey in Cameroon, a PEPFAR/US CDC-funded project primarily implemented by the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB).

His leadership in community mobilization, global health security, disease control, and prevention reflects his dedication to driving global health progress. Dr. Wirsiy, a member of the inaugural Youth Advisory Team for Health (YAT4H) at Africa CDC remains focused on advocacy and community-driven approaches to improve global health outcomes.

Food Safety and Public Health Concerns of Unhygienic Abattoirs

Dr Samuel Nsikan Akpan is a veterinary epidemiologist and infectious disease ecologist. His expertise spans genomic and field epidemiology, teaching, and research.

Over the past decade, his work has been focused on solving global health challenges that arise at the human-animal-environment interface (food safety, zoonoses, & AMR).

He has received multiple scholarly awards, fellowships and grants, such as the USAID/AfWA research grant (2017), LBS/ACT Foundation scholarship (2021), the GIZ Alliance doctoral fellowship (2022), ERRAZE research support (2023), the DEAL Fellowship of the West Africa Institute of Public Health (2024), amongst others.

He is currently a doctoral research fellow at the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Nigeria, and a PhD candidate at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the Netherlands.

Youth Mental Health in Post COVID-19 Times

Dr. Cameka Hazel Jackson is a university professor and clinical mental health therapist. She specializes in particularly in children and adolescents mental health care. As a university professor she also trains graduate students on the career path of becoming a school counselor or mental health clinician.  Dr. Hazel has also been involved in research in trauma informed interventions for children and adolescents and refugee children and families.

Barriers to Mental Health Care in Africa

Dr. Olukemi Olugbade is a multi-skilled Physician, Public health specialist, and Healthcare industry expert with over 15 years post-qualification experience as a Medical Doctor and 5 years post-training as a Field Epidemiologist and Researcher. 

Her professional background is focused on SDGs 3,5,6, and 9, General Medicine, Public Health, Community Health and Epidemiology with expertise in Public Health Data Analysis, Project Management, integrated diseases surveillance and response (IDSR) for outbreak detection and response, health advocacy and community engagement, maternal, child and adolescent health, reproductive health, occupational health, environmental health, public health nutrition, mental health, infection prevention, and control, antimicrobial stewardship, monitoring & evaluation, scientific communication, research proposals, and grants proposal writing. 

More recently she has developed health technology, digital communications, digital marketing, medical content-writing, and copy-writing skills applied to health-oriented freelancing engagements.

She has vast experience practicing in the Nigerian Healthcare space, working in resource-limited settings, focused on underserved and vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach, urban slums and rural areas.

Over the years, she has provided live-saving affordable care, essential medicines, and vaccinations in these areas, and reduced mortality, morbidity and disability in these populations, whilst also working with stakeholders at all levels of the Nigerian healthcare system including the private sector, in-country, and international development partners to improve accessibility, affordability, availability, and quality of care, thereby contributing to health systems strengthening.

She continuously contributes leadership, interpersonal and technical skills in her work and contracts, and these she has done in several positions. Professional certifications, and achievements she has garnered demonstrate attributes that make her an outstanding public health professional. 

Dr. Olugbade has won several scholarly awards, presented her research findings in several local, regional and international conferences, won research grants, has granted several interviews, spoken at healthcare events, webinars, and seminars and has published in peer-reviewed journals.

She also mentors medical students, early-career epidemiologists and health professionals.

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

Rich Greenhill serves as the chief transformation officer (CTO) at Quality Insights and editor-in-chief of the International Journal for Quality in Healthcare, Communications (IJCOMS), an Oxford University Press and International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQH) peer reviewed publication. In his CTO role, he spearheads transformative initiatives focused on efficiency, productivity and competitiveness. His career spans more than 30 years with deep experience across the continuum. He is a sought-after international and national speaker on topics related to AI use in healthcare delivery, quality and patient safety.

He is an expert for the ISQua, World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). Greenhill was elected to the prestigious International Academy for Quality in Healthcare (IAQS), joining luminaries in the universe of quality improvement and patient safety, such as Sir Liam Donaldson, Donald Berwick and Jeffrey Braithwaite. Membership in the IAQS is lifelong and one of the highest honors that someone in healthcare quality can achieve.

Rich serves as ACHE Choice faculty for Revitalizing Quality and Patient Safety Practices Through Interprofessional Collaboration seminars and faulty for other ACHE offerings including the Career Accelerator Program, the Executive Program and the Thomas C. Dolan Diversity in Executive Leadership Program.

Cuban Healthcare System’s Structure: Insight of A Medical Student

Esthelle Asaah Asiedu is a fifth-year medical student at the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba. She is passionate about specializing in pediatric emergency medicine, driven by her commitment to holistic patient care and healthcare improvement. Esthelle is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of young patients and their families, aspiring to be a catalyst for positive change both locally and globally.