Hon Dr Tinte ItinteangMinister of Health and Medical Services, KiribatiHonorable Dr Tinte Itinteang, serves as the current Minister for the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Tinte was first elected as a Member of the Kiribati Parliament representing his densely populated electorate of Betio in April of 2020, subsequently being appointed to his current portfolio by the the President HE Taneti Maamau. Tinte is a Medical physician by training, having graduated with his under-graduate degree in Medicine & Surgery from the University of Melbourne (Australia) at the end of 2001. Tinte then moved to New Zealand (NZ) in 2002 to practice across a diverse range of surgical and medical specialties for over 10 years, before completing his PhD studies at the Victoria University of Wellington (NZ) in 2010, unravelling the novel translational role of stem cells in a childhood condition known as strawberry birth marks (Infantile Haemangioma). Prior to moving back to Kiribati in 2019, Tinte formerly served in various organizations including as Chief Scientific Officer of the Gillies MacIndoe Research Institute (GMRI) in New Zealand for over 3 years.
As an MBBS PhD graduate, Hon Dr Tinte has held senior roles within University Committees as well as Research, having been the author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications and over 100 presentations at international science and medical conferences. He has also played a major role in the successful research collaboration involving The Scripps Research Institute of San Diego, the Salk institute of Biological Sciences in San Diego, and the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Melbourne. The Honorable Minister was appointed the Chair of the government of Kiribati’s Covid-19 response and Repatriation Task-force from 2021, bearing the responsibility for overseeing one of his country’s most challenging times. Facing one of worst Health Statistics in the region, the Minister for Health is committed to exploring new innovative strategies and partnerships in addressing these opportunities to the benefit of the people of Kiribati. |
Agron BytyqiChairman of the board, researcher, Patients’ Rights Association in KosovoHe was born and lives in Prizren, Kosovo. He is married and has 3 children. He holds a Master’s degree in public health management. Agron is chairman of the board and researcher at Patients' Rights Association in Kosovo (PRAK). He represents PRAK in many commissions and teams at the country level related to health policy making to give the approach from the patient's perspective. He has experience in teaching and research for more than 15 years. He is currently the Coordinator of the Centre for Continuing Professional Education at the General Hospital of Prizren. He also works voluntarily for Professional Health Association (PHA) in Kosovo, in many projects related to pain management issues, like courses, researches and events. | |
Ana Elisa M. BarbarAdviser to the Health Unit - Health Care in Danger Initiative, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)Economist, Specialist in Government, Management and Public Affairs and Master in Health Economics. Director of Regulation of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and professor of Health Economics at various universities in Colombia. Former Director of Medicines of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and Former Deputy Director of Technology Assessment of IETS, the health technology assessment agency of Colombia. Co-editor of Value in Regional Health Issues.
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![]() | Diego Fernando Gil CardozoExecutive Director, Colombian Federation of Rare Diseases - FECOERIndustrial Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali and Specialist in Administration from the ICESI University. President of the Blue Fabric Association, an organization that supports patients with pulmonary hypertension and their caregivers since 2013. President of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Colombian Federation of Rare Diseases -FECOER- since 2020. Technical Advisor of the Colombian Network for Access to biotechnological drugs (BIOREDCOL). Member of the Expert Panel of the Collaborative Global Network for Rare Diseases (CGN4RD).
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Bisi BrightBoard Member, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & 1st Vice Chairman and CEO, LiveWell Initiative LWIBisi Bright is a Consultant Clinical Pharmacist, Lecturer and Public Health Manager. She is 1st Vice Chairman and CEO of LiveWell Initiative LWI, a self-sustaining non-profit healthcare organisation which has impacted almost 2 million Nigerian patients. Bisi is very passionate about patient care and advocacy. She is a very active member of IAPO, having served as a Regional Steering Committee Member of IAPO Africa and, having worked with several patients across the spectrum of care. Bisi is Deputy National Coordinator of the National Hepatitis Coalition in Nigeria, and a two-time International Award winner of the IATDM/CT and other awards.
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Dr Catherine DugganChief Executive Officer, International Pharmaceutical FederationDr Catherine Duggan is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. She took up the role in The Hague in June 2018. Catherine is responsible for visionary leadership, support, development and advocacy across the 144 member organisations and the four million members FIP represents. She is responsible for developing and delivery the strategy, planning and working across global organisations such as WHO and UN, and other international professional groups. Catherine will chair the World Professions Health Alliance which represents 31 million health professionals across medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy and pharmacy. Upon taking up the role, Catherine was awarded an honorary Professorship from the School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham. She has been awarded Fellowships of both the RPS and the UCL School of Pharmacy and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Until April 2018, Dr Catherine Duggan was the Director of Professional Development at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, where she was responsible for the delivery of professional advice and support to all members across all sectors; the development of strategies to share and showcase good practice across the profession and development and implementation of professional standards for pharmacy. From 2012, Catherine led the development, implementation and strategic embedding of RPS Faculty and Foundation programmes into continuing professional development. | |
Dr Dalia DawoudAssociate Director (Research), Science, Policy and Research Programme, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)Dr Dalia is Associate Director (Research) at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). She holds a PhD in pharmaceutical policy and economics from King’s College London. Her current work is focused on advancing the methods of HTA and guideline development where she is leading NICE input into European funded projects, such as IMI EHDEN and HORIZON 2020 HTx, and its newly established HTA Innovation Laboratory (HTA Lab). She serves on a number of research projects’ advisory boards and as Associate Editor of ISPOR journal Value in Health. She is also an adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt.
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Ellos LodzeniVice-Chair, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & Patron and Founder Trustee, Patient and Community Welfare Foundation of MalawiEllos Ellard Lodzeni is based in Malawi. Ellos is a health rights, social justice and governance advocate as well as a patient for patient safety champion with an enormous passion on health matters. He is the patron and founder trustee of Patient and Community Welfare Foundation of Malawi, the only cross-disease patient movement in Malawi which articulates and amplifies the patient voice and drives the crusade for patient-centered health care in Malawi.
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Fatima SeedatDevelopment Manager, The South African Depression & Anxiety Group (SADAG)Development Manager, The South African Depression & Anxiety Group (SADAG) | |
Flavia KyomukamaExecutive Director, Action Group For Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS in UgandaFlavia is a Health/HIV, human rights and gender equality activist and advocate. She has lived with HIV since 1994, and is particularly very passionate about women and girl’s rights. Flavia is a teacher, counsellor and mentor both professionally and in her day to day living. She is currently the Executive Director of Action Group for Health Human Rights HIV/AIDS (AGHA) and Coordinator Women@40 campaign. Flavia represents communities on several Ministry of Health committees including PMTCT, Condon coordination, Non Communicable Diseases. She represents communities in the Uganda AIDS Commission Policy TWG including Social Support and Protection, Resource Mobilisation, Gender and Equity TWGs and Equity Plan Steering Committee. She has represented communities at Global level including the Global network of People living with HIV Network (GNP+), the Global Fund Country Coordination Mechanism Uganda Country Board, PEPFAR COP Community Engagements in Uganda. | |
Greg PerryAssistant Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (IFPMA)Greg Perry is Assistant Director General at the IFPMA since 2018 and specifically responsible for IFPMA’s Africa Engagement and Alliance Building strategies, focusing on innovation, access, and the regulatory environment. Greg has a long track record of leadership and advocacy in public healthcare and pharmaceuticals at international and European levels. Greg was for 5 years Executive Director of the Geneva based Medicines Patent Pool and previously Director General of the European Generic Medicines Association in Brussels, which he founded, and co-founder of the International Generic & Biosimilars Medicines Association (IGBA). He has an MA in European Integration and Cooperation, a BSoc.Sc in International Studies and a Diploma in Classical Studies . Greg is also holder of Golden Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland. | |
Howard CattonChief Executive Officer, International Council NursesHoward Catton was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in February 2019. He is committed to ensure that ICN effectively represents nursing worldwide, advances the nursing profession, promotes the wellbeing of nurses and advocates for health in all policies. Throughout his career Howard has worked and written extensively on issues relating to the Nursing and Healthcare Workforce and he co-chaired the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report. He has led ICN’s work to respond to and support nurses globally during the pandemic and has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of and investment in the nursing profession.Howard joined ICN in April 2016 as Director of Nursing, Policy and Programmes. Prior to that he was Head of Policy & International Affairs at the Royal College of Nursing in the UK, working with many different stakeholders on nursing and health policy in the UK and overseas. He qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1988 and worked in England, the USA and New Zealand. He studied Social Policy at Cardiff University and Industrial Relations at Warwick University. | |
Janis BernatDirector, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (IFPMA)Janis Bernat joined IFPMA in 2006 and is responsible for the Association’s committee focused on developing strategic regulatory direction and science policy. This Committee fosters coordination with multilateral stakeholders and national associations on issues related to small molecules, vaccines & biotherapeutics. She is also responsible for leading the Association’s regulatory team. Janis holds degrees in agriculture, food science, and mass communications from several US universities. Prior to joining IFPMA, she worked for a US-based multi-national food company in quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
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Judy StenmarkDirector General, Global Self-Care FederationJudy has been leading the Global Self-Care Federation since September 2018. During that time, she has overseen a restructure and re branding of the organization and implemented a new direction – the Future of Self-Care Strategy. She has a background in health with a degree in physiotherapy and a master’s in Public Health. A long-standing career leading global and national NGOs in the musculoskeletal arena, with an eight-year tenure as head of the International Osteoporosis Foundation in Nyon, Switzerland and nine years leading Osteoporosis Australia prior to that. An Australian national, Judy has spent the last fourteen years living and working in Switzerland. In this time, she established a strong network within global healthcare institutions, international scientific academia and among many global health companies.
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Julia SpencerAssociate Vice President, Global Multilateral Engagement, Strategic Alliances and International Relations, MSDJulia Spencer serves as the lead for MSD’s engagement with key global multilateral organizations and Geneva missions and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. She is also the focal point for and coordinates the company's participation in international industry trade associations and business groups and directs the multilateral and strategic alliance policy agenda focused on UN health, trade, and innovation agencies; G7/G20 and other global government alliances; health security organizations; and economic and financing institutions. Prior to taking on this role, Julia was Associate Vice President, Global Vaccines Public Policy, Partnerships, and Government Affairs, during which time she led global policy and advocacy efforts to expand and sustain access to MSD’s vaccines and to strengthen the immunization systems delivering our products. Prior to joining MSD, Julia served for 15 years as a senior health official in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including as Science Policy Director within the HHS Secretary’s policy, planning, and evaluation office (ASPE), where she was responsible for policy coordination, planning, and legislative development focused on the HHS science agencies – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food & Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
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![]() | Dr. Maira CaleffiVolunteer President, Brazilian Federation of Philanthropic Institutions in Support of Breast Health - FEMAMADr. Maira Caleffi is a Breast Surgeon and Chief of the Breast Center at Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Volunteer Presidenta at FEMAMA - Brazilian Federation of Philanthropic Institutions in Support of Breast Health. Chair of the Executive Committee of the C/Can Porto Alegre (Brazil). Local Leader of Integrated Cancer Control Initiative in Latin America – ICCI-LA (Brazil). Chair of the Board of Directors of the IGCC (Instituto de Governança e Controle do Câncer). Dr. Caleffi holds Pharmacy and Medicine degrees, Residency in Gynaecology and Obstetrics and she is specialized in Breast Surgical Oncology by Guy’s Hospital in London UK. She completed her doctoral thesis in Medicine at the University ofLondon, UK, and undertook post-doctoral studies in Genetics and Breast Cancer at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA. She served as a Board member of the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) from 2012 to 2018, and Technical Consultant for GBCI WHO and Chair of the Executive Committee of the City Cancer Challenge Porto Alegre Brazil. Dr Caleffi is the Founder and Volunteer President of FEMAMA and IMAMA (Instituto da Mama do Rio Grande do Sul). Presently, she develops academic, research, teaching and patient-care activities with a highly multi-professional team.
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Justin KooninCo-chair, UHC2030Justin Koonin is co-chair of UHC2030, the international multistakeholder partnership for universal health coverage. He is a member of multiple WHO expert panels, including for the Universal Health Preparedness Review, and on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs. He is Distinguished Fellow and Honorary Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales. At a national level, Justin is President of ACON (formerly AIDS Council of New South Wales), Australia’s largest civil society organisation working on HIV prevention, care and support, and the health of sexuality and gender-diverse people more broadly. He is a former chair of the New South Wales Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, the peak advocacy body for gay and lesbian people in that state. Justin Koonin’s work spans a diverse range of sectors. In addition to his efforts in health and human rights, he has worked as a postdoctoral researcher in mathematics at the University of Sydney, as a data scientist at PwC, and (currently) as a fund manager at Allan Gray. He holds a Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics from the University of Sydney, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder, as well as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Dr Lembit RägoSecretary-General, Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS)Dr Lembit Rägo is the Secretary-General of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) since 2016. From 1983-1999 he was a Professor of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at Tartu University, Estonia. He was the founder and first Director-General of the Estonian regulator, State Agency of Medicines, during 1991-1999. In 1999 he joined the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva as Coordinator of the Quality Assurance and Safety of Medicines team. In 2001 he founded WHO Prequalification of Medicines Programme that since then has been instrumental in providing high quality affordable medicines for HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and other priority diseases for developing countries. In 2013 he was appointed as the Head of the newly formed WHO unit of Regulation of Medicines and other Health Technologies, which combined all WHO’s regulatory activities for medicines, vaccines and diagnostics. He was also a member of the Lancet Commission for Essential Medicines (2014-2016). In CIOMS he started several initiatives working more with patients, notably CIOMS Working Group XI “Patient Involvement in the Development, Regulation and Safe Use of Medicines” (report 2022). Dr Rägo has published numerous scientific articles and book chapters, including on several topics related to medicines regulation. . | |
Dr Luis CastrilloPast-president & Co-chair of the EM-Day Workgroup & Member of the Wellbeing Group, European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM)Intensivist as medical specialty, Doctor in Medicine, MD, PhD ,Master in “Clinical Epidemiology, and research design”, Associated Professor, Cantabria University EM Positions ,EMS (Prehospital System) Cantabria Community Medical Director: Emergency Department University Hospital Marques Valdecilla ,Chief Director ,University of Cantabria, EM Associated Professor,Foundation Marques de Valdecilla. Centro de Estudios de Medicina de Urgencias (CEMU),Director of Training Programs. EUSEM President (2019-2021). | |
Karen Alparce-VillanuevaPresident, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO)Karen Alparce-Villanueva is currently the President of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) and founder of Rare Cancers Philippines. She has over 30 years experience in the private sector specializing in communications & policy work in the healthcare industry, where she spent the last 20 years. Karen left her corporate job in 2015 to devote her long experience in health advocacy to advancing patient rights. Karen also served in government as Board Member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) and as consultant for the Health Promotions and Communication Services of the Department of Health (DOH). She was previously External Affairs Director of MSD and was also Corporate Affairs Director of Pfizer Philippines where she was instrumental in the inception of PAPO. Karen also runs a communications consulting firm called Health PRx Communications Inc. She is also Chairperson of the International Public Relations Association Philippine Chapter (IPRA) and a member of the Filipina Womens’ Network (FWN). | |
Kawaldip SehmiCEO, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO)Kawaldip is a patient who is championing for the rights of vulnerable patients globally. He has extensive experience in paediatric healthcare and children and adolescents mental health services. He previously held the position of CEO at Richmond Psychosocial Foundation International and worked as Managing Director of Coram Children’s Legal Centre. He has European and international public health experience as Director of the Global Health Inequalities Programme and as Chairman of the European Network of Quitlines during the successful negotiations and ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Kawaldip’s qualifications include an MSc in the Public Health International Programme from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a Master’s in Business Administration and an LLB (Hons). | |
Kostas AntypasProject Coordinator, BETTEReHEALTHDr. Konstantinos (Kostas) Antypas is a nurse with a PhD in Telemedicine and E-health from the UiT-The Arctic University of Norway. He has more than 15 years of experience in the field of health informatics and e-health. He is currently working as researcher at SINTEF and has also a 20% position as senior researcher at the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research. He is coordinating the EU-funded project BETTEReHEALTH, and he is involved in several other projects such as the WHO-funded rapid assistive technology assessment. His main research interests include the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative services with special focus on e-health.
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Maria DutarteExecutive Director, European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI)Maria Dutarte is the Executive Director of the European Patients’ Academy (EUPATI) since 2020. Maria has previously worked for the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) coordinating patient involvement in a number of training initiatives and scientific projects. She has also worked for different scientific and international organisations, e.g. French National Research Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), International AIDS Society (IAS), The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and The International Foundation for Science (IFS). Her educational background is in International Education and Communications. | |
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Marie ValentinTechnical Officer, Regulatory Convergence and Networks Team, World Health OrganizationMs Marie Valentin is a pharmacist specialized in drug product regulation with over 22 years of experience in regulatory affairs and product development, acquired both in the private and public sectors. At WHO, Marie works in the Regulatory Convergence and Networks Team towards convergence, harmonization, reliance and system strengthening activities, supporting different regional regulatory networks and supporting Member States to strengthen their regulatory systems. She was actively involved in the preparation and finalization of the WHO documents on Good Regulatory Practices and Good Reliance Practices. She is also in charge of the Secretariat for the WHO paediatric regulatory network, a global network supporting the availability of quality-assured medical products for children and the regulatory lead of the Global Accelerator for Paediatric formulations (GAP-f).Before joining WHO in May 2019, Marie worked for 8.5 years at the European Medicines Agency in London as a Regulatory Affairs Officer where she was in charge of providing regulatory and procedural advice in relation to the development, evaluation and surveillance of medicinal products in the European Union as well as new EU legislation implementation. Before that, she worked in the pharmaceutical industry, contract research organization and consultancies in the United Kingdom, Spain and France.
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Nicola BedlingtonFounding Partner, Millwater Partners & Special Adviser, European Patients' ForumEconomist, Specialist in Government, Management and Public Affairs and Master in Health Economics. Director of Regulation of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and professor of Health Economics at various universities in Colombia. Former Director of Medicines of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and Former Deputy Director of Technology Assessment of IETS, the health technology assessment agency of Colombia. Co-editor of Value in Regional Health Issues.
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Orajitt BumrungskulswatBoard Member, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & Assistant Secretary General, Heart to Heart FoundationAt present, Board Member of the International Alliance of Patient’s Organizations (IAPO). Also sit in Bangkok Health Assembly Committee of the National Health Commission Office, and in the Labor Quality of Life Development Strategy Steering Committee of the National Health Promotion Fund Office. Over 44 years working experience in policy analysis and community and civil society development. Previously, worked with the National Health Security Office on patient advocacy/support and network development for the Patient-Centred Healthcare and Patient Engagement in Healthcare System and also on the Community Health Promotion Fund development. Also worked with Thailand Social Investment Fund of the World Bank in year 1998-2003.Hold bachelor’s degree in economics from Chulalongkorn University, and a Master of Science in Human Settlement Planning and Development from Asian Institute of Technology.
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Paul MendonzaBoard Member, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & President, Psoriasis PhilippinesPaul Mendoza is the President of Psoriasis Philippines. He is the President of the Psoriasis Asia-Pacific, and also a Board Member of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) where he attends different health forums and agendas in the region. He is also involved in the Philippine Alliance for Patients with Chronic Illness, Healthy Philippines Alliance, and Alternative Budget Initiative for Health where he advocates for NCDs, Persons with Disabilities, HTA, access to medicine, patients rights, and other health agendas with the Philippine Government.
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Penilla GuntherFounder, FOKUS Patient®Penilla Gunther is a former Member of Parliament in Sweden where she was Member of the Committee on Healthcare and Social affairs, the Committee on Industry and Trade and the Committee on Labour Market. She has also served at the Board of the Nordic Council and Chair of the Committee on Welfare.Penilla is the Founder of the Swedish platform FOKUS Patient® - a meeting place for all involved in life science and healthcare, with a patient perspective. FOKUS Patient® has been recognised at a European and International level as well, being a good example of networking over organizational boarders. She was appointed last year by the European Commission to become Member of the EU Cancer Mission Board, and to be an Ambassador for implementing the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan in the EU Member States. Penilla is also President for the European Patient Safety Foundation, as a part of her work for patient’s rights. As a patient herself as cancer survivor twice and being heart transplanted, she hopes that as a former policy maker, she can make positive changes in healthcare in collaboration with all kinds of stakeholders.
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Prof Lara BloomBoard Member, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & President and CEO, The Ehlers-Danlos SocietyLara Bloom is the President and CEO of The Ehlers-Danlos Society and responsible for globally raising awareness of rare, chronic and invisible diseases, specialising in the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and related disorders. Before joining the Ehlers-Danlos Society Lara ran EDS UK from 2010-2015. Lara manages coordinated medical collaboration, raising funds for research and focusing on the global progression of EDS and HSD. She speaks at conferences all over the world, lecturing to medical students and professionals, and supports specialists in the field by offering her experience as a leading Patient Expert. Lara regularly works with umbrella organisations lobbying at government level internationally. In addition to her role as President and CEO of The Ehlers-Danlos Society, she is the Global Ambassador for Global Genes and Advocacy Committee Member for Rare Diseases International, Co-Investigator in the NIHR CONCORD: CO-ordiNated Care Of Rare Diseases, Expert Advisor in the European Reference Network Groups RECONNECT & VASCERN, Expert Advisor to PARADIGM & EPF, Working Group Member of the GenTAC Alliance Patients, Families, and Clinicians, and a Patient Group Consultative Forum Member for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
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Dr Neda Milevska-KostovaChair, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & President, IAPO Patients for Patient Safety ObservatoryDr Neda Milevska-Kostova is president of Studiorum, a regional think-tank working on research and policy aspects of health and wellbeing in Europe. Neda has over 20 years experience in health research, policy and patient advocacy. She holds a MSc in functional pharmaceutics (University of Tokyo), MA in public policy (University of Pittsburgh, USA), and a PhD in public health (University of Sheffield, UK). Neda is also a Vice-president of Health First Europe, an umbrella organization based in Belgium working on improving access to innovative health technologies in Europe. In 2018, she was awarded the title Primarius by the Minister of Health for exceptional and long-term commitment to the advancement of health system and population health in Macedonia. | |
Dr Neelam DhingraHead, Patient Safety Flagship: A Decade of Patient Safety 2021-2030, World Health OrganizationDr Dhingra leads WHO’s efforts at providing strategic leadership on patient safety and risk management within the context of improving people-centred integrated health services delivery and UHC. Dr Dhingra coordinates WHO’s work for improving patient safety and managing risks in health care, including Global Patient Safety Challenge on medication safety; leadership; safety culture; education and training; patient safety standards, assessments, research and measurement; global patient safety networks; safety and quality tools and checklists (Safe Childbirth & Surgical Safety); reporting and learning systems; patient and family engagement including Patients for Patient Safety; safer primary care; diagnostic safety; standardizing care processes; and patient safety solutions. Since joining WHO in 2000, Dr Dhingra has been providing strategic leadership and facilitating multi-country support for strengthening blood transfusion services. From 2015, Dr Dhingra is coordinating WHO global efforts in the areas of patient safety, quality improvement and risk management. Prior to joining WHO, Dr Dhingra served as a medical faculty in a large, tertiary care university teaching hospital in New Delhi, India for 14 years, also coordinating transfusion and laboratory services, after medical and specialist qualifications from New Delhi and UK fellowships. | |
Dr Osahon EnabulelePresident, World Medical AssociationDr Osahon Enabulele is a strategic thinker, health activist, policy analyst, scholar, undergraduate and postgraduate teacher/lecturer, and a renowned leader. He is a Chief Consultant Family Physician; President of the World Medical Association; Immediate Past President of the Commonwealth Medical Association (2019- 2022); Past President of the Nigerian Medical Association (2012-2014); Past President, University of Benin Medical Students Association (1992-1994); Coordinator of the Coalition of African National Medical Associations; former Member of the Governing Board of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the MDCN Disciplinary Tribunal; Postgraduate Examiner and Reviewer with the Faculty of Family Medicine, West African College of Physicians; Life Member of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA); Life Member of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON); Director General of the Dr. Osahon Enabulele Foundation; Director General of the Initiative for Citizens’ Health and Good Leadership Development; and a Honorary Fellow, Health Writers Association of Nigeria. Dr Enabulele is a strong advocate of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and initiated a Free Medical Mission in Nigeria that has so far offered free health care to over 100, 000 indigent Nigerians. He has chaired many high-level sessions on UHC and health system strengthening, and championed a robust campaign that led to the enactment of Nigeria’s first National Health Act in the year 2014. As President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Enabulele brought a lot of vibrancy and visibility to the Association, with the achievement of several feats, amongst which are: The Unconditional Recall of 788 physicians who were unjustly sacked by the Lagos State Government of Nigeria in the year 2012, simply for speaking out about their working conditions and ethical obligations. As President of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Enabulele profoundly raised the visibility and profile of the CMA, and greatly repositioned the CMA to its pride of place, with indelible footprints, legacies and feats, amongst which are: the conceptualization, initiation, and formal launch of the Commonwealth Medical Journal (CMJ); the conceptualization, initiation and organization of the maiden CMA Healthcare Excellence Award Scheme; the revitalization of the CommonHealth platform of the CMA; and the initiation of the Young Doctors Forum of the CMA. On account of his laudable leadership strides, Dr. Enabulele was conferred with an award of distinguished service to the Commonwealth Medical Association during the CMA’s 26th Triennial Council Meeting and Conference held on the 5th of November, 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dr. Enabulele has over 100 awards and recognitions, and has delivered over 80 well acknowledged public lectures and keynote addresses. He has to his credit several published articles in peer review journals, including Enabulele, O. Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria: Moving Beyond Annual Celebrations to Concrete Address of The Challenges. World Medical & Health Policy. March 2020; 12(1):47-59. Enabulele, O. Covid-19 Pandemic: A Possible Reversal Mechanism for Outward Medical Tourism by African Political Leaders. World Medical Journal. 2020; 66(3):15-22. | |
Dr Paula Blancarte JaberProject Manager - Outcomes Research Team, International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM)Paula is a Medical Doctor, having obtained her medical degree from Universidad La Salle, Mexico. She has experience working in clinical settings in various health systems internationally, including Mexico and France. Throughout her academic and professional career, Paula has been involved with NGOs, which focus on healthcare provision, health promotion, and diffusion of medical knowledge. She has a keen interest in the social determinants of health, health inequalities, and sexual and reproductive health, having recently graduated from University College London with a Master’s degree in Global Health and Development. She joins ICHOM in 2021 as a Research Associate for Healthcare. | |
Dr Rosyln (Roz) SchneiderVice President, Head of Global Patient Affairs, BioMarinDr Roslyn (Roz) Schneider is a physician dedicated to human-centred design in healthcare and research. That is, intentional listening, partnering, and co-creating with people living with a variety of conditions to accelerate positive outcomes. The consistent thread through Roz's career is aligning practices with what people articulate they need and want for their lives. She’s worked in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, hospital administration, academia, consulting, and in industry where she's co-created guidance, tools, and calls to action toward making person-inclusiveness business as usual across the industry. Outside of work, among Roz’s activities in the community, is that she is Vice-Chair of the Board of the American Lung Association (New Jersey Chapter). Roz received her Medical Doctorate from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Masters in Pharmaceutical Medicine from Hibernia College. She practiced and led postgraduate training for 20 years and was a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, recognized by PharmaVoice magazine as among the 100 most inspiring people in the life sciences in 2018, and in 2021 by CUNY School of Medicine with their Strong Women in Medicine Award. | |
Dr Sawsan A. AlMadhiAdvocacy Advisor, CEO & Founder, AlignnEficient Health Consultancies CO LLCDr. Sawsan is a professional healthcare Leader and Consultant, Advocacy Advisor, Entrepreneur, honor class master’s degree holder and an MD with more than 20 years’ progressive leadership experience and skills in strategy, governance, operations and administration within the civil society, not-profit charitable sector, advocacy and public health education & promotion within UAE and internationally. Other areas of expertise include public speaking and academia.Currently she is the founder and CEO of AlignnEficient Health Consultancies a niche social enterprise working with multi stakeholders to push the agenda of advocacy on a local, regional and global level while focusing on patient’s centricity and meaningful engagement of the patients voice.Previously working in one of the most reputable charities in the UAE as the Director General for Friends of Cancer Patients, Dr. Sawsan’s role was to supervise the continuing refinement and expansion of the organizational objectives which include: providing high quality services, organizing fundraising activities, developing, planning and executing nationwide awareness programs and campaigns through collaboration with a vast network of national and international, governmental and private sector organizations, pushing the advocacy agenda on NCD's and working on feasible patients access to treatment solitons.
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Dr Shahid HanifManaging Director, GetReal InstituteDr Shahid Hanif is the Managing Director of the GetReal Institute, a non-profit member-led multi-stakeholder association based in the Netherlands, which aims to facilitate the adoption and implementation of real-world evidence in regulatory, HTA and clinical decision-making in Europe. The GetReal Institute has emerged from two Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) funded programmes, to establish it as a leading independent and sustainable European forum for stakeholder dialogue, consensus development and co-creation of solutions to advance the use of real-world evidence. Shahid’s work over the past 20 years includes a breadth of experience in projects, policy and advocacy, relating to health data, digital and outcomes in the life sciences working with pharmaceutical companies and trade associations, public bodies, academic, non-profit and patient organisations.He co-founded an International Forum for Science Policy to bring together a diverse group for thoughtful deliberation of key issues as it relates to accelerating innovation for the benefit of patients. He is an Associate of RAND Europe and an Affiliate of the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh. Shahid holds Bachelor’s and Doctorate degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a Master’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Glasgow.
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Dr Tessa RichardsAssociate Editor MRCP, MRCGP, BMJDr Tessa Richards is senior editor at The BMJ, and developed and leads the journals patient and public partnership strategy. She is currently responsible for advancing its spread across The BMJ company including its wide portfolio of specialist journals. She trained and worked in the NHS as a general physician, rheumatologist and GP before joining The BMJ where she has led the journals General Practice, Education and Analysis sections and established influential series including the Overdiagnosis/Too Much Medicine series. She has a long standing interest in global health and European Health policy and is a regular writer and speaker on the importance and potential of patient and public partnership in healthcare and health research. She lives with stage IV cancer and pernicious anaemia, and is a carer for close family members , young and old, with rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, blindness and other long term conditions.
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Raymond AndersonPast President & Trustee of Commonwealth Pharmacists AssociationRaymond has experience of working as a Community Pharmacist for over forty years. He qualified as an independent pharmacist prescriber in 2007. Raymond was a member of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2012, holding the post of President from 2006 to 2009.Raymond is a Past President and Trustee of the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association. He was the representative of Northern Ireland Pharmacists at the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) and is a former member of the Pharmaceutical Society of N. Ireland’s Pharmacy Forum. He was appointed to the European Medicines Agency’s “Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC)” as a scientific expert in April 2016. He held this post for 6 years. Raymond has worked in both Primary Care Partnerships and Integrated care partnerships (2012-2016) supporting collaborative engagement and service development with patients and healthcare professionals. Raymond has a special interest in healthcare provision in low and middle-income countries. He is very aware of the challenges involved in developing national, universal healthcare systems. He has spoken at many international conferences on the role pharmacy can play in supporting the health of commonwealth citizens using the skills of pharmacists. | |
Rod PaduaChair, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Advocates Network (CML AN) & Strategic Advisor and Council Member, Alliance & Partnerships for Patient Innovation & Solutions (APPIS)Chair of the CML Advocates Network President of Touched by Max, Philippines Region Asia-Pacific representative
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Sanja Njegic PharmD, MBAExecutive Director, Head International Patient Affairs, BioMarinSanja is Executive Director, International Head of Patient Affairs and Global Lead for Hemophilia at BioMarin. She joined BioMarin in March 2022 from Hoffmann La Roche where she served as Global Patient Partnership Head. In this role she developed industry-leading, end-to-end patient-inclusive strategy and organizational model based on trustful and mutually beneficial relations with Patient Organizations across the globe. Prior to joining Roche Sanja served as EUCAN Region Advocacy & Integrated Care Head in Takeda where her focus was on embedding an industry-leading patient centric strategy and co-creating evidence-based digital solutions. She first entered the world of patient engagement in 2012 when she became European Patient Advocacy Head at Novartis Pharma. Since then, Sanja has been involved in the advancing the practice of patient engagement through her membership of the Executive Committees of numerous organizations like PFMD and the European Federation Pharmaceutical Industry Association’s Patient Think Tank. In her over 20 years experience in Pharma, Sanja also held numerous leadership, commercial and corporate roles including organizational strategy and therapeutic area franchise accountabilities. | |
Tony HollandBoard Member, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) & President, International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation (IPWSO)Tony Holland is the President of President of the International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation (IPWSO). Tony is trained in Medicine at University College and University College Hospital, London, qualifying in 1973. After some years in General Medicine he trained in Psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry in London. In 2002 he was awarded the Health Foundation Chair in Learning (Intellectual) Disability establishing the Cambridge Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Group. | |
Dr Yifan ZhouChairperson of External Relations, International Pharmacy Student Federation (IPSF)Dr Yifan Zhou is a clinical hospital pharmacist, and the current Chairperson of External Relations at the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation. She graduated in 2021 with a Doctor of Pharmacy, and completed her hospital residency at the University Health Network in 2022. At IPSF, she is responsible for partner and sponsor relations, including the United Nations ECOSOC, Alliance for Health Promotion, international student organisations and beyond. She has also represented IPSF international conferences including World Health Assembly, WHO Executive Board Meeting, UNESCO International Conference of NGOs, World Health Summit, and UN Climate Change Conference COP27.Yifan also has an immense interest in technology integration in pharmacy and digital health. She has previously interned at a pharmacy technology company, where she created an automated flu shot documentation form that served over 700,000 patients in Canada. As the past Clinic Co-Director, she led the transformation of IMAGINE Clinic, a student-run clinic that serves vulnerable populations in Toronto, into a virtual clinic to continue services during the pandemic.
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Dr Mahmood Al-HamodyVice-President for External Affairs, International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA)Mahmood Al-Hamody is a 6th year medical student at Alexandria University in Egypt. Originally from Iraq, he is currently serving as the Vice-President for External Affairs in the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. He is especially involved and interested in global health, ethics and human right issues, including: human rights education, discrimination and inclusion, violence against healthcare, medical peace work, health equity and the right to health through training and non-formal education as well as advocacy and policy-making. Mahmood is also interested in public relations, graphic and web design, and the usage of social media and innovative tools in communicating human rights and health issues. | |
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