Steering-Committee - WAAVP- Africa Network

Steering Committee

Meet the Steering Committee

Dr. Patrick Vudriko

Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN, Makerere University, Uganda

Dr. Patrick Vudriko

Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN, Makerere University, Uganda

Vudriko Patrick is a Founder of Research Center for Tropical Diseases & Vector Control (RTC) at Makerere University. At Global level, he has severed as a member of WVA Strategic Focus Group on Pharmaceutical Stewardship and a member of WOAH-EEG on antiparasiticide. Currently he is A Co-chair of WAAVP-AN, a member of FAO Expert on Acaricide Resistance and WOAH-EEG on implementation of anthelmintic guideline. At national level, he has provided technical services in assessment of veterinary drug & vaccine supply chains, evaluation of implementation of NAP-AMR strategy, development of essential veterinary medicine lists & guidelines on appropriate use of antimicrobials. He has published over 70 scientific articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Email:patrick.vudriko@waavpafrica.org

Prof. Kgomotso Sibeko

Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Prof. Kgomotso Sibeko

Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Prof Kgomotso Sibeko-Matjila is an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria. She has 20 years of research and training experience in molecular parasitology, especially in tick-borne diseases of livestock. She is a member of the executive committee of the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa, serving as the secretary. She is also a co-convener and reviewer for the Red Meat Industry Services, in the Sustainable Animal Health and Welfare research and development program.

Email:kgomotso.sibeko@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Johnson Ouma

Independent consultant, Research, and Development Kenya

Dr. Johnson Ouma

Independent consultant, Research, and Development Kenya

Dr. Johnson Ouma’s research interests are in molecular epidemiology and ecology of trypanosomes and their tsetse fly vectors. He has over 25 years’ experience in research and R&D leadership and has published extensively in his field of research. His previous roles include Director of R&D with Vector Health International (2011-2021) and GALVmed (2021-2023), Senior Scientist with Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute and Principal Scientist and Deputy Center Director at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO, formerly KARI) for a combined period of 17 years. He currently works as an independent consultant in veterinary parasitology and programmatic interventions targeting control and elimination of neglected tropical parasitic diseases.

Email:johnson.ouma@waavpafrica.org

Prof. Hussaina Makun

Veterinarian, Animal Scientist, and Livestock Nutritionist, Nigeria

Prof. Hussaina Makun

Veterinarian, Animal Scientist, and Livestock Nutritionist, Nigeria

Dr. Hussaina J. Makun is a veterinarian, animal scientist, and livestock nutritionist, was formally trained in veterinary science (DVM), in animal nutrition (MSc.) and in veterinary helminthology (PhD), and having practiced, taught, and led research and development in these fields over a period of over 30 years. Much of her research work has been joint projects commissioned by National, Continental and International Organisations, UN-IAEA, Canada’s IDRC and CGIAR, World Bank African Centres of Excellence. Dr. Makun has held several important positions during her professional career. Among the positions are Sectional Head, College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Ahmadu Bello University (CAAS/ABU, 1993-1996), Principal Investigator, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND; 2020-2022), and Assistant Director of Research, National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI/ABU, 2016-2023), Environmental Safeguard Officer African Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB/ABU) 2014-date). Dr. Makun has taught a variety of courses (including parasitology, helminthology, biotechnology, forensic science, disease, and nutrition interactions) at undergraduate and graduate level within the ABU system. She has supervised and advised at least 15 Masters and Doctorate (DVM and PhD) students since 2009.

Email:hussaina.makun@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Furaha Mramba

Private Consultant of Research and Medical Entomology, Tanzania

Dr. Furaha Mramba

Private Consultant of Research and Medical Entomology, Tanzania

Before retiring, Dr. Mramba was the CEO of the Hester Biosciences Africa, which produces vaccines for large animals, small ruminants and poultry. Previously, she was the CEO of the Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency (TVLA), an agency that is responsible for the diagnosis and surveillance of livestock diaseases. She was the overseer of 13 veterinary laboratories based in Tanzania. TVLA is also responsible for the production and distribution of veterinary vaccines, development of technologies which are used for validation, eradication, and control of animal diseases, and analysis of animal feeds (Government analysts). Dr. Mramba has supervised over 25 research projects both at national and international levels as the PI and Co-PI. She has more than 60 publications in both national and international peer reviewed journals.

Email:furaha.mramba@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Naftaly Githaka

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya

Dr. Naftaly Githaka

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya

Dr. Naftaly Githaka has a PhD from the graduate school of Veterinary Medicine of Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, an M.Sc. in Parasitology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nairobi. He currently works as a senior scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) where he leads research on tick-borne diseases and manages the Tick laboratory. Dr Githaka’s research focuses on the development of vaccines against ticks and tick-borne haemoparasites, understanding vector-pathogen interactions and the epidemiology of invasive tick species. He has over 15 years of research experience and has published over 50 research articles.

Email:naftaly.githaka@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Abel S. Biguezoton

Researcher, CIRDES, Burkina Faso.

Dr. Abel S. Biguezoton

Researcher, CIRDES, Burkina Faso.

Abel S. BIGUEZOTON, from Benin, got a PhD in Health Ecology at University of Montpellier in France. As a researcher at CIRDES (www.cirdes.org), he is the Responsible of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases research Team and Head of Vector-borne diseases and Biodiversity research unit. He is the Head of the FAO Reference Centre for African Vectors and Animal Vector-borne Diseases at CIRDES. He got membership of FAO Experts Group & Community of Practice on Acaricide Resistance Management of Livestock Ticks. He obtained also membership of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Climate Resilient Animal Fund Program of IDRC (https://www.idrc-crdi.ca/en). He is also Member of the WAAVP-AN steering committee and has published more than 30 manuscripts.

Email:abel.biguezoton@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Nlingisisi Babayani

Researcher, University of Botswana

Dr. Nlingisisi Babayani

Researcher, University of Botswana

Nlingisisi Babayani has been working both as a field veterinarian and researcher in Botswana for more than 20 years. Nlingisisi qualified with a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University College Dublin, a Master of Science degree in Veterinary Epidemiology from the Royal Veterinary College plus a Postgraduate Diploma of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTH) from LSHTM, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Veterinary Tropical Diseases from the University of Pretoria. Nlingisisi’s research interest is in epidemiology of topical livestock diseases, with particular emphasis on sustainable management for One Health benefits optimization.

Email:nlingisisi.babayani@waavpafrica.org

Prof. Souaibou Farougou

University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin

Prof. Souaibou Farougou

University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin

Professor Souaïbou Farougou is a lecturer at the Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi in Benin and serves as the Director of the Research Unit on Communicable Diseases. He holds a veterinary medicine degree and a PhD from the University of Dakar, Senegal. Since 2014, he has held the position of Full Professor, supervising about thirty Master’s theses and ten PhD dissertations. With 150 scientific publications to his name, he has made substantial contributions to his field. In addition, from 2011 to 2014, he held the role of Vice-Rector for Interuniversity Cooperation at the University of Abomey-Calavi. Furthermore, he is a distinguished member of the National Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters of Benin.

Email:souaibou.farougou@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Ayo Majekodunmi

Former Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN

Dr. Ayo Majekodunmi

Former Co-Chair of WAAVP-AN

Dr Ayodele O. Majekodunmi is a One Health Epidemiologist with over 15-years’ experience in research and international development across Africa, Asia and the UK. She holds a PhD in veterinary epidemiology from the University of Edinburgh, an MSc in Medical Parasitology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BSc in Veterinary Science from the Royal Veterinary College. She has worked at Zhejiang University, University of Edinburgh and University of Ghana, running research projects on Hepatitis E, Tick-borne diseases, Human and Animal African Trypanosomiasis, alongside teaching and postgraduate supervision. She has an extensive record of publications, international research grants and private sector consultancies. Ayodele works with FAO Nigeria as the National Project Coordinator for the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD). She is an honorary Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Her main research interest is integrated prevention and control of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance through health systems strengthening, using a One Health approach. Throughout her career, she has designed and delivered cost-effective, impactful programmes across health, agriculture, education and rural development sectors.

Email:ayo.majekodunmi@waavpafrica.org

Dr. Jahashi Nzalawahe

Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Dr. Jahashi Nzalawahe

Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Dr. Nzalawahe holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Master’s degree of Veterinary Medicine, and PhD in Veterinary Parasitology from Sokoine University of Agriculture (2016). His doctoral thesis was on the ‘Investigation on Epidemiology and Control of Trematode infections in Cattle in Southern and Northern zones of Tanzania’ undertaken. Following completion of his PhD studies he was awarded Leverhulme Royal Society African Award (2018) and COSTECH (2019-2021) Postdoctoral fellowships. His research interest has been on Epidemiology, Diagnostics and Community Engagement for control of parasitic diseases of veterinary importance (Trematode infections in cattle, Soil Transmitted Helminthes, Zoonotic Tapeworms, Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases and rodent’s parasites).

Email:jahashi.nzalawahe@waavpafrica.org

Prof. Hany Ibrahim

Professor of Immunology, Menoufia University, Egypt

Prof. Hany Ibrahim

Professor of Immunology, Menoufia University, Egypt

Hany M. Ibrahim is a Professor of Immunology at the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Egypt. He is a member of the Egyptian National Committee for Biological Sciences in the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. He obtained his Ph.D. in Immuno-parasitology (Food and Animal Hygiene Program) from the National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan (2010). He got a postdoctoral fellowship from the French Government at the Department of Immunity, Infection & Inflammation, Université de Paris, INSERM, France (2014). He is an Editor in Frontiers in Veterinary Science & serves as a reviewer for many accredited national/international journals. He got the membership of the French society of immunology, the Egyptian society of immunology, the Japanese society of parasitology. He has published more than 68 manuscripts in national and international journals and 2 Chapters in international books.

Email:hany.ibrahim@waavpafrica.org

Dr Daniel Masiga

Infectious Diseases Biologist, ICIPE, Kenya

Dr Daniel Masiga

Infectious Diseases Biologist, ICIPE, Kenya

Dr Daniel Masiga is an infectious diseases biologist. His research focuses on the biology of pathogens and vectors, using genetic approaches to understand epidemiology and host-pathogen associations and infection risk. His research focuses on infectious diseases transmitted ticks, mosquitoes, and sand flies. He considers mentorship at the core of research enterprise and has graduated 15 PhD students and more than 30 MSc students. He works across human and animal health thematic areas at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, where he leads the Human Health Theme. His is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Email:daniel.masiga@waavpafrica.org

Steering Committee

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