Sualiha is a Public Health and Leadership Specialist (MPH, MBA), Researcher, Women Leader, Professional Certified Coach/PCC with 15 years of experience in the health system and served as a project lead, advisor, team lead and consultant in different organizations including GO and INGOs. Currently, she is working as a Project Lead/PI for a women leadership impact study base in IPHCE in collaboration with John Hopkins University.
Mekdes Shimelis is a public health professional. With over five years of experience, Mekdes has contributed to various schemes aimed at enhancing health outcomes. She currently serves as an Assistant Primary Health Care Coordinator at the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia (IPHC-E), where she plays a role in the national PHC team under the IPHCSD Project. Mekdes earned her Master’s in Public Health from Addis Ababa University with a focus on Reproductive, family, and population Health.
Dr. Bereketeab Mulugeta is currently working as A/LIP-H Program coordinator. He is a medical professional with a robust background in health sector human resources administration. He earned his Medical Doctorate from the University of Gondar and his MBA from Maryland International College. Dr. Bereketeab has significant experience in managing COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, including the recruitment and deployment of health professionals across various medical centers. His expertise extends to human resource policy development at the Ministry of Health, where he has contributed to key projects such as the & HRH for UHC& initiative. He serves as a member of different national TWG on HRH & related issues.
Additionally, Dr. Bereketeab is a seasoned trainer, having led sessions on different topics. He has good interpersonal & coordination skills, His dedication to community service is evident through his volunteer work, including providing free medical services in underserved regions.
I hold BA in Accounting from Addis Ababa university Collage of Commerce. I am seasoned accountant with over ten years of experience in Financial management and accounting services. My career has encompassed diverse sectors, including consulting, research, and non-governmental organizations, where I have successfully optimized financial operations and fostered sustainable growth. My expertise lies in producing accurate financial reports, ensuring tax compliance, and facilitating smooth audit processes for both internal and external auditors. when outside working, I enjoy traveling and discovering different cultures.
Nahom Frew is a multifaceted professional renowned for his contributions across various platforms. As a Communications Officer at the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia, he leverages his medical background from Addis Ababa University to enhance community engagement and brand marketing initiatives, benefiting stakeholders significantly.
Tsegereda Abebe holds a master’s degree in Nutrition from University of Gondar and has over three years of experience as a research assistant at IPHC-E. She has contributed to the African Health and Diagnostic Platform Project and is currently involved in the GFF and Gavi’s Women Leadership Impact Study. She also took part in sharing evidence to inform PHC systems through publications such as PHC Digest and peer-reviewed articles.
Tsegereda is passionate about advancing health research and aspires to grow her expertise in this field, aiming to make a meaningful impact on public health.
Dr. Meron Assefa is a medical doctor with a strong passion for public health. After earning her medical degree from Addis Ababa University in 2022, she joined IPHC-E as an advocacy and partnership intern where she has made significant contributions to the Primary Health Care. At IPHC-E, She played a crucial role in organizing the 2023 International Conference on Primary Health Care, working closely with the Ministry of Health – Ethiopia and Johns Hopkins University. Her ability to build, manage, and utilize partnerships was key to the event’s success. In addition to her professional commitments, she is deeply involved in volunteer efforts. She has engaged as a volunteer coordinator and event organizer for more than 2 years at GIV Society Ethiopia, making a positive impact on the community. Dr. Meron’s leadership and dedication to improving healthcare delivery in Ethiopia reflect her commitment to ensuring access to quality healthcare for all.
Dr. Mohammed A. Yahya is a seasoned and dedicated professional with over seven years of experience. He possesses an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for evidence-based health and healthcare interventions. Known for his ability to grow practices and lead programs, he excels in consulting with multifaceted teams of experts, providing invaluable support and guidance during high-pressure circumstances.
His unwavering enthusiasm and exceptional organizational acumen drive him to contribute diligently to his team’s achievements. Currently, Dr. Mohammed serves as an Advocacy Officer at the International Institute for Primary Health Care-Ethiopia (IPHC-E) and also works as a consultant for the Ministry of Health on a need basis. Previously, he held roles as a General Practitioner, Case Team Leader, and Lecturer at Jigjiga University, where he led quality M&E, spearheaded the digital transformation of patient registry systems, and headed the COVID-19 pandemic workforce.
He also launched the first One-Stop Rape Center at the university, supervised the hospital’s Emergency Department, and served as the Pandemic Response and Coordination Officer, liaising with the Somali Regional Health Bureau to provide technical direction and evidence on PHC service programs at Qoloji Refugee Camp. Additionally, Dr. Mohammed was the President and Project Manager at Doctors in Action, where he was responsible for M&E and civil society engagement. As a volunteer, he offers free medical services to people living on the streets and in retirement homes and is an active member of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society. Dr. Mohammed earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Addis Ababa University and holds a Master’s in Public Health.
Catherine Kane is a technical officer on the WHO Health Workforce team, with a portfolio that includes knowledge management, network engagement, community health workers and the Global Health and Care Workers Compact. Prior to joining WHO, Catherine worked for the Red Cross Movement locally, nationally and internationally, and has held additional policy, humanitarian diplomacy, learning, public health and emergency management positions in national government agencies and health advocacy organizations. She is a passionate advocate for community health.
Dr. Solomon Zewdu is Senior Executive Resident for Strategy and Planning at the Mastercard foundation on enterprise level social impact investments. Before transitioning to MCF, he spent seven years at the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation as DD in the Africa office. He is a Medical Doctor with extensive expertise in global health, resilient health system designs, disaster preparedness response among many other career duties. He coordinated the Pan African SARSCoV2 BMGF investments and now help managed the MCF Saving lives and livelihood partnership. He shapes partnerships in workforce development, Pandemic preparedness, vaccine, therapeutics and diagnostics manufacturing and the full ecosystem. His 26 years career spans across the public and private sector, worked with multi-sectoral ministries, governments, DoD, academia, implementing partners and philanthropy. He is a decorated Lieutenant Colonel of the US Airforce and has run various humanitarian and disaster mitigation missions.
Dr. Mohammed Abseno is recently employed as a Research assistant at the International Institute for Primary Health Care-Ethiopia. He has worked as a clinician and health manager in the southern part of Ethiopia while he was a general practitioner. He contributed a lot on HIV and TB control programs while he was working at the Arbaminch hospital in addition to his clinical career.
After his transfer to St. Peter Specialized hospital and completing his second degree in public health, he served as the Head of Research, Training and Quality office for more than eight years and as a researcher for several years.He has an excellent communication capacity and respect for clients coming for any support and advice regarding research proposal writing, conducting researches and final write up of research papers. He has publications in different areas of public health issues. He has also served as a clinical trial coordinator where a short regimen for MDR-TB was compared with the long duration WHO regimen. This research has shortened the 20 months treatment to the shorter 9 months regimen. He has great capacity in writing project proposals.
Admin and Finance Manager Hiwot Tadesse is currently serves as Admin & Finance Manager for the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia (IPHC-E). Hiwot is a seasoned professional with strong financial and operations management, grant management for different projects funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Fund, Buffet Foundation, CIFF, AHDP, FHS, and DFID, GFF & JSI. She has more than 10 years of experience, largely focused on administration, Finance, Grant, HR, and operations management. Prior to assuming her current position, Hiwot served as Finance and Administration, Senior Accountant, Program Coordinator, Credit Administrator, Customer Service officer and as consultant on financial strength & Loan Recovery for different organizations & individuals at South Sudan, Kenya and extensively in Ethiopia. In these roles, Hiwot oversaw multiple organization & programs, maintaining strong relationships with a wide range of donors, government offices, Plc.’s and different NGO’s and She has a professional experience implemented and evaluated numerous grant. financial, IT, procurements, Human Resource, Property Management, event/program coordination, she has exceptional interpersonal skills with high-quality administration & financial management program coordination. When not traveling, Hiwot enjoys nature and reading, walking with silence and planning for the next adventure.
Animut Mesfin is a system librarian and ICT expert at the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia. He has been working as an ICT expert for 10 years since 2010. He also have experiences working as a senior system developer and administrator at Bahir Dar university. Being placed in this role helped him develop some of his best professional qualities, such as ability to work in a team, aptitude to deal with people in all honesty and the skill to develop and administer web applications.
Biruh Alemnew is an Online Training Manager at the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia. He is a holistic digital learning expert with over 8 years of experience and a strong educational background in eLearning, adult education, and public health. He is a digital learning expert whose experience is mainly focused on LMS Implementation & Administration (A-Z), Instructional Design, eLearning Development, Webinar and Virtual Classes Management, and Educational Technology. As an online training manager of the institute, Mr. Biruh has been setting up and managing the learning management system of the institute. He has also been a point of contact and advice on online training for colleagues at the institute. His skill on different e-learning tools has been proven by leading the design and development of digital courses for both national and global audiences. Facilitation of e-courses and webinars is another routine thing Biruh is known for in the institute. Before joining the IPHC-E, he worked for St’ Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College as a medical education program coordinator for e-learning, and curriculum development and revision programs.
He has also a good track record in developing interactive digital courses and managing LMSs for different organizations including Ethiopia’s MOH. He previously worked as a clinician and a case team leader for 5 years at a primary hospital in southern Ethiopia. Biruh earned his Masters in Health Professional’s Education from Addis Ababa University, and his BSc in Public Health from Debre Markos University.
Luidina is a passionate advocate for strengthening primary health care (PHC) systems in Ethiopia and globally. At the International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia, Luidina leads a team dedicated to fostering impactful partnerships and championing innovative solutions for improved health outcomes.
Luidina brings a wealth of experience in global health, with a focus on building strategic collaborations across diverse stakeholders, including civil society, government agencies, and international institutions. Her work centers around developing and executing advocacy strategies that promote equitable access to quality PHC services in Ethiopia.
Luidina is a skilled communicator and strategist, adept at crafting compelling advocacy materials, leading workshops, and building consensus among diverse stakeholders. Her deep understanding of the local context and the global PHC landscape enables her to develop tailored solutions that address pressing health challenges.
Luidina is committed to building a sustainable and equitable future for all Ethiopians through strengthened primary health care systems.
Emebet has a strong background in management, holding an MSc in NGO management. She possesses diverse experience in the voluntary sector, with focus on the non-profit field in both Ethiopia and the UK. Emebet has developed valuable competencies and skills in program and projects management, including strategic planning, grant proposal writing, budgeting, grant management, implementation support, reporting, monitoring, and partnership coordination.
Currently, she leads the Knowledge Management program at IPHC-E, where she has successfully built the Resource Center from the ground up. The Center is set up to serve as a global hub for resources related to primary health care thematic areas, facilitating the sharing of knowledge, information and promising practices.
Anteneh Zewdie is a seasoned Public Health professional with fifteen years of experience in Global Health Leadership and International Development. He has led and managed the successful implementation several programs such as Health System Strengthening (HSS), Leadership Development, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), Nutrition, WaSH and Communicable Disease Prevention among others. He has worked with international organizations like AIM Initiative, Center for Creative Leadership, Kissito Healthcare, Samaritan’s Purse and World Vision in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, USA and Ghana. He served at different capacities starting as HIV Response Facilitator; then progressing as Program Supervisor, Assessment Coordinator, Country Director, Regional Program Director for Africa and Chief Executive Officer.
He has proven experience in starting up organizations and opening new country offices, strategy development, development and deployment of teams, establishing systems and process, mobilizing resources, designing and implementing programs. He had secured grants from international, bilateral and multilateral organizations such as Global Fund, World Blank, UNOCHA, UNICEF, WFP and USAID. He has a Bachelor degree in Public Health from Debub University, Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from University of Gondar and Doctor of Literature and Philosophy (PhD) from University of South Africa. Currently, he serves as Director of Programs at the Institute of Primary Health Care – Ethiopia.
Dr. Svea Closser is a medical anthropologist who is Associate Professor in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research, funded by organizations including the National Science Foundation, the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, focuses on the social relations shaping Primary Health Care, particularly the experiences of Community Health Workers. She is author of academic books published by Vanderbilt University Press and numerous academic articles in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Social Science and Medicine, and BMJ Global Health. Dr. Closser is also a committed educator and coauthor of two textbook-readers on medical anthropology and global health.
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.
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.
