Infectious diseases/COVID-19 / by Yohannes Yohannes / 3 views
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Michael J. Klag MD, MPH is the Dean Emeritus and Second Century Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. During his tenure as dean, he guided the School to unprecedented growth across a range of categories and continued to elevate it as a pacesetting institution of global influence and impact.
His scientific contributions have been in the prevention and epidemiology of chronic diseases. Dr. Klag is the author of more than 200 publications and has received numerous honors and awards. He serves on the board of the International Institute for Primary Health Care-Ethiopia, among others.
Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin is the Executive Director of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program as of March 2024. Dr. Lia served as the Minister of Health of Ethiopia from March 2020 to February 2024 after serving as State Minister of Health from November 2018. As a Minister, she was spearheading the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies like conflict and drought, coordinating the National Task Force, and helping her country to navigate the pandemic with resilience. During her tenure, she was credited with approaching the pandemic not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity to build the health system. She forged strong partnerships bringing together diverse stakeholders in the local, regional, and global health architecture to strengthen crucial health system pillars.
Before joining the Ministry of Health, she served as Program Director at the University of Michigan’s Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT) where she successfully partnered with institutions in Ethiopia and Rwanda, to increase the quality of reproductive health services and training. She was also the Project Director of USAID’s Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) at Jhpiego-Ethiopia, and CEO and Vice Provost of St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) in Addis Ababa, where she led the hospital services and academic reforms.
Dr. Lia is passionate about strengthening and reforming health systems and has received several recognitions for her accomplishments in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, in advocacy for gender equity, access to quality health services, and training. Dr. Lia is an Adjunct Faculty at the University of Michigan and Honorary Faculty at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and has published over 40 articles, commentaries, and papers.
Dr. Lia was co-chair of the COVAX AMC Engagement Group, co-chair of the Global Financing Facility (GFF) Investors Group, and vice-board chair of the Africa CDC. She earned her medical degree from Jimma University, specialty training in Obstetrics and Gynecology from Addis Ababa University, and a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Jimma University.
Dr Kebede was assigned as CEO of Addis Ababa Early Childhood Centre of Innovation & Learning on September 1, 2023. He is a public health physician with over 20 years of experience in the field. He has held numerous leadership roles in the health sector of Ethiopia, including serving as a State Minister of Health for 13 years and senior advisor to the minister for about five years. He served and participated in different governing boards and steering committees as a chair and member including a Board Member of the Global Fund to Fight AIDs, Tuberculosis, and Malaria for one term. He has been instrumental in advancing health development in Ethiopia by fostering partnerships with development partners and mobilizing resources to finance the expansion of infrastructure, human resources for health, and primary healthcare services.
In these roles, he provided leadership to the health sector, set policies and implementation strategies, and oversaw key health sector missions. Along with the leadership of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women & Children Affairs, and development partners, he played a key role in the development of the first national policy framework for early childhood care and education in Ethiopia which was launched in 2010.
MINISTER OF HEALTH, FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA
Dr. Abnet Zeleke currently serves as the Executive Director of the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia. Prior to this role, he served as an advisor to the Minister within the Ministry of Health seconded by the Clinton Health Access Initiative. During his time, he coordinated and supported numerous emergency responses, including those for COVID-19, conflict, and conflict-affected communities, as well as leading the Multi-sectoral Engagement Team.
Furthermore, he was the focal point of the Ministry of Health for responses concerning migrants, returnees, and refugees. His collaboration with various UN agencies, notably the IOM, UNOPS, and UNHCR, was instrumental in coordinating health interventions for these vulnerable populations.
