One Health Unit Lead, Africa CDC
Dr. Yewande Alimi is an esteemed professional, holding a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. She serves as the One Health Unit Lead at Africa CDC and co-leads the Africa Union Task Force on AMR.
Dr. Alimi has been pivotal in developing and executing comprehensive strategies that seamlessly integrate human, animal, and environmental health concerns. Under her visionary leadership, Africa CDC has established crucial programs addressing AMR, zoonotic diseases, food safety, and climate change, effectively addressing critical One Health issues across the African continent. With her diverse background encompassing veterinary medicine, public health policy, and research, Dr. Alimi oversees the implementation of various strategies, including the Africa Union Framework for AMR Control and Africa CDC's Framework for One Health Practice.
Dr Alimi's impact extends globally as she serves on multiple advisory boards and groups, advocating for global health equity and gender equality. Notably, she has contributed as a One Health Technical Advisor for the Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium and as a member of the Scientific Task Force to Prevent Pandemics at the Source for the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center. With over a decade of expertise, Dr. Alimi has significantly strengthened the technical capacity of African Union Member States in preventing and controlling infectious diseases using a One Health approach. She is recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in One Health and holds advisory and committee roles at esteemed institutions.
Dr. Alimi's vast experience includes setting up technical programs, establishing flagship programs at Africa CDC, and leading initiatives such as AMR awareness and advocacy efforts for young Africans. Her commitment to advocating equitable public health policies demonstrates her unwavering dedication to making a difference in global health, promoting equity, and advancing gender equality.Twitter: Wande_ALinkedIn: Yewande Alimi
Prof. Thumbi Mwangi
Washington State University's Paul G
Thumbi Mwangi is a Professor of Epidemiology at Washington State University's Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Co-founder and Co-director of the Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) at the University of Nairobi. He is also the Director for Animal Health Innovation Lab, and a CJ Science Leadership Fellow.
Based in Kenya, he leads a research team using applied epidemiological and economic modelling to inform public health policies and control/elimination programs of epidemic and endemic diseases in Africa.
He holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, an MSc in Genetics and Animal Breeding from the University of Nairobi, and a Ph.D. in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the University of Edinburgh.
He has served as the Chair of the Kenya COVID-19 Technical Committee on Modelling, the Co-chair of the WHO/FAO/WOAH United Against Rabies Working Group, a Lancet Commissioner on the strengthening use of epidemiological modelling of emerging and pandemic infectious diseases, and an Affiliate Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.
Prof Lisa Boden
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh
Lisa Boden is Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine. Lisa is a UK (RCVS) and European veterinary specialist in veterinary public health & population medicine with a PhD in veterinary epidemiology and a Masters of Laws in medical law and ethics. She holds a Personal Chair and is a Professor of Population Medicine and Veterinary Public Health Policy at the R(D)SVS at the University of Edinburgh, and is a co-Director of EPIC (Scottish Government’s Centre for Expertise in Animal Disease Outbreaks) responsible for EPIC's policy and Impact. EPIC provides policymakers with rapid access to emergency scientific advice and analyses to prepare for and respond to emergency exotic and novel animal disease outbreaks.
Professor Boden works extensively at the science-policy interface, bringing together researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners to improve the governance and implementation of evidence for One Health decision-making. Her research includes translation and communication of science as effective and ethical evidence for policy, contingency planning, emergency outbreak planning, risk assessment and management. It also focuses on predicting and planning for potential future risks to improve long-term resilience against disease outbreaks.
She is the founder of the One Health FIELD Network, which builds research, education and training partnerships in fragile and conflict-affected settings to strengthen preparedness and responses to threats affecting human, animal and environmental health. She is also the founder of the Edinburgh Empathy Place at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, which is building a community of practice in empathy and compassion to drive equitable solutions for One Health.
