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Harnessing AI to Improve Public Health in Africa

Healthcare Nonprofit Organization

Underserved communities in the U.S. and African countries often face challenges in accessing quality healthcare services. Limited resources and infrastructure can lead to gaps in care, preventing people from receiving the medical attention they need. That’s where the International Medical Exchange, Inc. (IME) comes in.

As a healthcare nonprofit organization, we are dedicated to utilizing resources and implementing initiatives that address these issues. By leveraging our expertise and partnerships, we strive to enhance the quality of healthcare services and expand access to care for underserved populations across the U.S. and African countries. 

A Man In A Tuxedo Suit

About Us

We are a nonprofit organization committed to the mobilization of resources and execution of programs aimed at aiding underserved communities in both the U.S. and African nations. Our focus is on improving the quality of health services, increasing access to healthcare, and alleviating the financial burdens associated with medical care.

Mission

IME’s mission is to bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and ICT experts from Africa, the U.S., and the African Diaspora to design and implement innovative and effective programs to improve and extend healthcare delivery in Africa and underserved communities in the U.S.

Public/private/academic partnerships are a vital mechanism for African countries to address their multifaceted healthcare challenges successfully. IME is committed to establishing strong partnerships between governments, non-governmental organizations, corporations, educational institutions, hospitals and clinics, and donor institutions to support the healthcare initiatives of African nations. We know that improving the health of the people of Africa will not only enhance the lives of individuals and families, but it will also contribute to the economic and social well-being of the nations. 

Vision

The convergence of medical and information technology, the evolution of international policies, and changes in the public/private funding environment represent historic opportunities. IME is open to assisting and working with African governments in developing their capacity to achieve decent and adequate healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities. 

Learn more about our advocacy work.

Contact Us

The History of IME

IME originated from a series of medical missions to Africa organized by Basil Medical Corporation (BMC), a U.S.-based company founded in 1991. Our focus was on procuring and supplying medical equipment and technology products. In response to requests from host governments, African-American physicians were recruited by BMC to travel to various African nations. They shared their expertise with local healthcare professionals, offered medical treatment, and contributed to regional capacity-building efforts.

The missions were successful and showed the positive outcomes that can be achieved when African and African-American communities tackle healthcare challenges, improving Africans’ overall health in the homeland and those in the Diaspora. This success made the governments of the participating African nations desire BMC’s support in coordinating conferences to establish frameworks for regional collaboration addressing health challenges. 

Amb Denis Afande met with Gov Wilder in Richmond

About the Regional Conferences

The inaugural regional conference took place in southern Africa, preceded by a Steering Committee Meeting at the InterContinental in Lusaka, Zambia. This meeting was hosted and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Health of Zambia and Mikwa Investments Limited of Zambia. The second Steering Committee Meeting, hosted and sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Namibia, was held in Windhoek, Namibia, on November 15, 1996.

The committee, comprising representatives from 12 African nations’ ministries of health, convened to determine a name for their upcoming event and agreed upon the “International Medical Exchange Conference.” Subsequently, International Medical Exchange, Inc. was officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization on January 16, 1997. 

Ambassabor Charles Nyirabu met Gov. Wilder during a Visit to Richmond V.A., Sponsored by BMC
Basil Olisa

In the Spotlight

IME intends to organize symposia focused on developing sustainable African healthcare delivery systems. Learn more about our initiatives in promoting healthcare delivery to rural southern Africa. 

These media profiles coincided with IME’s symposium on developing sustainable African healthcare delivery systems, originally held in Cape Town.

A Group Of People Standing Around A Table

Management and Operations:
Organizational Overview

We are composed of a Board of Directors and Steering Committee Members from Africa and the U.S. These dedicated individuals are committed to addressing the escalating health challenges that the African population faces.

The following list of people work closely with us to devise sustainable solutions and improve the well-being of the African population. 

Board of Directors

Dr. Raymond T. Terry Sr., Ph.D.

Director, Office of Global Health Equity
Morgan State University School of Community Health & Policy

Dr. Terry is an International Health Systems Analyst. His areas of interest are: Community and Health Systems Managerial/Policy Development initiatives, Health Systems Entrepreneurship Training and Capacity Development, and Health Systems Resource Acquisition. In addition, Dr. Terry has professional and applied experiences in the areas of Strategic Planning, Health Systems Research, Health Systems Impact Analysis, and Grant Development. He has assisted Faith-Based Organizations, Governmental Agencies, and Non-Governmental Organizations internationally in developing health system plans and service delivery grants, as well as community health centers.

Dr. Terry has served as a United Nations Health Systems Planning Delegate to Africa, as well as Delegation Leader for the National Youth Leadership Council on Medicine to Africa

Dr. Terry is an advocate for training and developing Global Community Health Leaders to enhance the lives of others and, in turn, enhance their own lives.

Dr. Robert Nettey MD

Dr. Robert Nettey, MD brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role at Morgan State University as the Executive Director of the Center for Global Studies and International Education. Originally from Ghana, Dr. Nettey earned a bachelor’s degree from South Carolina State University and a Medical Doctorate from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica. 

Diverse roles and experiences have marked Dr. Nettey’s career. Before joining Morgan State University, he spent eight years at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as Chief Scientific Review Officer, where he played a pivotal role in shaping research initiatives. His extensive experience also includes consultative work for federal organizations and private institutions, focusing on training and capacity-building for programs targeting minority, medically underserved, and disenfranchised populations. 

Before his tenure at NIH, Dr. Nettey accumulated twelve years of experience working on research and service provision programs at esteemed institutions such as the University of Illinois-Chicago, Howard Brown Memorial Clinic, Northwestern University, and Cook County Hospital. His hands-on involvement in these programs underscores his dedication to improving healthcare access and outcomes for marginalized communities. 

Dr. Nettey’s leadership overseeing campus curriculum internationalization at Morgan State University reflects his commitment to fostering global perspectives and intercultural exchange. His multifaceted career trajectory exemplifies his passion for advancing healthcare, education, and equity locally and internationally. 

Dr. Randall C. Morgan, Jr., MD, MBA,

Randall C. Morgan, Jr., MD, MBA, is the President and CEO of the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute based in Washington, D.C. In that role, he leads a staff of scholars and research specialists who focus on eliminating health disparities. He is also an active orthopedic surgeon who has practiced in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida since 2005. He serves as founder and President of University Park Orthopedics in that community. He is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Florida State School of Medicine and is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Connecticut. He is a graduate of Grinnell College with a B.A. in Chemistry. He received an M.D. degree from Howard University. He served as a resident in Orthopedic Surgery at Northwestern University and served a Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati. He later received an MBA degree from the University of South Florida.

Dr. Morgan served as the 95th President of the National Medical Association during the years 1996 and 1997. He was the first board-certified orthopedic surgeon to hold that position. Dr. Morgan is a true pioneer in his profession and was among the first surgeons to perform total joint replacement surgery at Northwestern University. Dr. Morgan has practiced General Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatric Orthopedics in Evanston, Illinois, and as well in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, for more than 30 years prior to his relocation to Sarasota. With the assistance of his father, Mr. Randall C. Morgan, Sr., he founded the Orthopedic Centers of Northwest Indiana and served as its president from 1975 to 1999. At one time, this was the largest minority-owned orthopedic practice in the United States. He has written and published extensively throughout his career on Orthopedics, Social Responsibility, Health Equity and the Education Pipeline for Underrepresented young scholars. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and the American Board of Managed Care Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honorary medical society.

Dr. Lynette Moretlo Molefi, MD

Dr. Lynette Moretlo Molefi is a South African medical doctor, dynamic entrepreneur, and business executive, known for her exemplary leadership and pioneering work in telemedicine in South Africa and across Africa. She has been a trailblazer in the field, advocating for telemedicine at various levels of government and within non-governmental organizations.

Dr. Molefi completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at MEDUNSA in 1995 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lesotho, completed in 1989. In addition to her medical qualifications, she earned a Diploma in Telemedicine from the University of Arkansas in 1998 and later pursued a Senior Management Program at Stellenbosch in 2005. She further expanded her expertise in telemedicine through the Foreign Telemedicine program at the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) in 2006, focusing on medical reconnaissance and special operations.

In 2012, Dr. Molefi founded an eHealth consultancy business, concentrating on eHealth program management, distance medical services, and telemedicine consulting. Her work aims to develop ICT-based healthcare solutions for both clinical and educational purposes, with a specific focus on developing countries. Dr. Molefi has played a key role in advancing rural healthcare connectivity in South Africa, spearheading a successful Telemedicine pilot project in partnership with Motorola and the State Information Technology Agency. This initiative utilized wireless systems to enhance healthcare delivery in the Limpopo province.

Her contributions to the field of telemedicine have earned her recognition on the global stage. In 2007, she became the first woman, and the only African woman, to serve on the board of the International Society of Telemedicine and eHealth, which represents 56 countries. Dr. Molefi has also presented at various high-profile symposiums, including a workshop hosted by the Canadian Space Agency, where she discussed the use of spatial planning in healthcare.

Dr. Molefi’s leadership extends beyond her entrepreneurial and medical ventures. She is known for her strategic vision, having successfully led public-private partnership (PPP) projects and made significant contributions to healthcare management and governance. She has also been a strong advocate for the adoption of telemedicine and mHealth technologies, especially in underserved regions.

Her skills in leadership, strategic planning, and financial management have enabled her to navigate both the public and private sectors effectively. With a strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and equity in healthcare delivery, Dr. Molefi continues to make a profound impact on the global health landscape, promoting innovative healthcare solutions that bridge the gap in access to quality care.

Professor (Dr) Modest Mulenga, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Senior Medical Researcher at the Lusaka Apex Medical University.

Prof. Modest Mulenga is a distinguished Zambian physician and a leading international expert in tropical and infectious diseases. He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Senior Medical Researcher at Lusaka Apex Medical University (LAM University) in Zambia. He is also an Associate Professor of Tropical and Infectious Disease Research, where his expertise and contributions continue to shape the field.

Prof. Mulenga’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Zambia in 1987. To further deepen his knowledge, he pursued a Master of Science in Infection and Health in the Tropics, graduating with distinction from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. In 2003, he completed his PhD in Tropical and Infectious Diseases from the University of London, UK. Additionally, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Tropical Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians of London and a Diploma in Health Systems Management from Galilee College in Israel.

Prof. Mulenga’s career spans over 25 years, during which he has made significant contributions to medical research and public health. He previously served as the Executive Director and Principal Medical Researcher at the Tropical Diseases Research Centre, a leading national health research institute in Zambia, where he dedicated more than two decades to advancing research in tropical and infectious diseases. His work has been instrumental in addressing poverty-related diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.

Prof. Mulenga has held numerous prestigious leadership roles in national and international research advisory bodies. He was the Vice Chair of the National AIDS Research and Ethics Committee under Zambia’s National AIDS Council. He served as a member of the Zambian government’s National Health Research Advisory Committee. He also chaired the National Nutrition Research Committee of the Nutrition Commission of Zambia, underscoring his commitment to improving public health.

Internationally, Dr. Mulenga was the Vice Chairman of the Developing Countries Coordinating Committee for the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and chaired the Joint Coordinating Board of the WHO/UNDP/UNICEF and World Bank Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) from 2015 to 2018. He is currently a valued member of the WHO-AFRO African Advisory Committee on Health Research and Development, serving under the Regional Director.

Throughout his career, Prof. Mulenga has been dedicated to academic excellence, supervising PhD and MSc students and collaborating with esteemed colleagues from institutions such as the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium. He has also served as an external examiner and previously as an honorary senior lecturer before becoming an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases Research and Public Health at Copperbelt University, Zambia. He is a proud Fellow of the Zambia Academy of Sciences, having served as the Chair of the Medical and Health Research Committee on the Academy’s Governing Council.

Prof. Mulenga’s contributions to medical research are extensive, with numerous publications and peer-reviewed articles in respected journals. His teaching, research, and clinical efforts focus on clinical epidemiology and the development of effective interventions to control and prevent infectious diseases. His work continues to make a lasting impact in the fight against tropical diseases and global health challenges.

Dr. Nkaki Matlala, MD

Dr. Nkaki Matlala, MD

Dr. Nkaki Matlala is a retired general surgeon with a distinguished career spanning across healthcare practice, education, and innovation. He completed his undergraduate medical education at Michigan State University in the United States before embarking on a successful private practice in Pretoria, South Africa, where he made notable contributions to the local healthcare system.

He subsequently went back to school to complete his surgical training at the Medical University of Southern Africa, and he became board-certified by the College of Medicine of South Africa. He later took on the role of senior general surgical consultant and served as a lecturer at the Medical University of Southern Africa, sharing his expertise with the next generation of healthcare professionals.

From the outset of his medical career, Dr. Matlala has been deeply interested in the sociopolitical factors that influence access to healthcare and its quality. This passion drove him to pioneer one of South Africa’s earliest telemedicine initiatives, aiming to bridge the healthcare gap in underserved areas. His work in this field led him to collaborate with physicians from the United States and across Africa, founding the International Medical Exchange over twenty-eight years ago. The organization focuses on uniting professionals within the diaspora to address the critical healthcare challenges facing the African continent, with Dr. Matlala’s leadership serving as a constant source of inspiration.

In addition to his work in telemedicine, Dr. Matlala served as Executive Director at Mediclinic, where he played a key role in developing and implementing clinical governance programs. These initiatives, focused on reducing medical errors and enhancing clinical care, highlighted his unwavering commitment to patient safety and the advancement of healthcare standards.

Dr. Matlala also recognizes the transformative potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in improving healthcare delivery, particularly in resource-constrained regions. His commitment to leveraging technology to enhance healthcare access remains a cornerstone of his career.

In retirement, Dr. Matlala is dedicating his time to advancing community-oriented primary healthcare systems, with a special focus on integrating Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiency and accessibility. His enduring dedication to healthcare improvement continues to shape his work and legacy.

 

yunkap

PROF. S. YUNKAP KWANKAM, Ph.D.

Prof. S. Yunkap Kwankam is a world-renowned expert on digital health. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and was elected to the following American honor associations: Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical Engineering), Tau Beta Pi (Engineering), and Sigma Xi (Research).

He is currently CEO of Global eHealth Consultants, a Geneva-based consultancy which has developed national digital health policies and strategies for several countries and international organizations. He is also the Executive Director of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH) and Chairman of Telenethealth International. He serves, or has served, on several digital health advisory bodies, including: the Global Alliance for Health and Social Compact Advisory Board; World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Digital Health; Innovation Working Group Task Force on the Global Knowledge Commons for m-eHealth (Co-Chair); International Council of Nurses eHealth Strategy Advisory Group, Mobile Health Global Advisory Committee, of the Mobile World Capital’s mHealth Competence Center, Barcelona, Spain; Care Innovation Corporation (Chief Innovation Adviser); African Development Bank eHealth Awards Committee (Co-Chair); WHOPMNCH Advisory group on ICT for health; and SatelLife Board of Directors.

As founding Chief of eHealth at the World Health Organization HQ, Geneva (2004 – 2008), he was responsible for the overall coordination of eHealth across the Organization and Executive Head of the Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe). Before joining WHO in 2001, he was a Professor and Director at the Center for Health Technology at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon. He has also served as a consultant to WHO, ITU, UNIDO, the World Bank, and the US National Library of Medicine (NLM).

HONOR INCLUDE

Lifetime Achievement Award, Global Digital Health Summit, Expo & Innovation Awards, New Delhi (2022; Founding Fellow and Treasurer, Cameroon Academy of Science (CAS).

PUBLICATIONS

Two commissioned books – (commissioned by IDRC and UNESCO); Numerous peer-reviewed papers, and technical reports.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE INCLUDE:

  • Managing health technology throughout the value chain – discovery, development, diffusion, and deployment
  • Knowledge creation/generation and knowledge translation/transfer
  • Capacity building for digital health
  • Digital health policy and strategy development and implementation at national and institutional levels

LANGUAGES: Fluent in English and French (understanding, speaking, reading, and writing)

Doris Browne, M.D., M.P.H.

President and CEO, Browne and Associates, LLC.
118th President of the National Medical Association

Dr. Browne is President/CEO, Browne and Associates, LLC, a health consulting company that addresses national and global health inequities, a medical oncologist, and the 118th President

of the National Medical Association. As President of the NMA, she focused on a Collaborative Approach to Health Equity entitled “The Urgency of Now: Creating a Culture for Health Equity. She tirelessly champion causes that significantly contribute to improving the health status of vulnerable populations. She achieved national and international recognition as an expert educator and speaker and has been either featured or quoted in many news articles, Podcasts, webinars, and Op-Eds in addition to publishing scientific articles, book chapter and textbook. Her public health background includes health education programs on cancer, women’s health, climate health and environmental justice, sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, and radiation casualties, including use of telehealth and other innovations. Dr Browne also participated in an international disaster preparedness and humanitarian assistance program

for 17 West African Nations. She is passionate about achieving health equity through increased participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials research. She is a retired Colonel from the U. S. Army, Medical Corps and retired from National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute where she managed the breast cancer portfolio. Dr. Browne is a graduate of Tougaloo College (BS), UCLA (MPH), and Georgetown University (M.D.) and

completed an internship, residency, and fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Hematology-Oncology. She is a member of numerous professional and civic organizations including the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), International Medical Exchange (IME), Trinity Episcopal Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is the recipient of plentiful awards including the NIH Merit Award and Top Blacks in Healthcare Award.

Dr. Josiah K. Halm, MD., M.S., FHM., FACP., CMQ,

Josiah K. Halm, MD., M.S., FHM., FACP., CMQ, is a Professor in the Department of Hospital Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Dr. Halm earned his medical degree from the University of Ghana Medical School and completed his residency at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital. He was awarded an NIH-NRSA primary care research fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he pursued a master’s in clinical epidemiology and was also a clinical instructor in medicine. He subsequently joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, Milwaukee campus, as an academic hospitalist and served as the medical director of the hospitalist program. He joined MD Anderson in 2008 as an assistant professor and rose through the academic ranks, achieving professor in 2020. He served as the section chief of Hospital Medicine from 2013 to 2020 and was named founding chair ad interim when the section was elevated to a department in December 2020 and named chair after a national search in June 2024. 

As one of the pioneers of onco-hospital medicine, Halm has spent more than 16 years developing and growing this subspecialty whose experts play a vital role in treating acutely ill hospitalized cancer patients, and in 2015, he was nationally recognized as one of the top 10 hospitalists by the American College of Physicians. 

Under Halm’s leadership, the Hospital Medicine program has grown to become the largest inpatient service at MD Anderson and one of the largest hospital medicine groups in a comprehensive cancer center in the nation. It is both nationally and internationally recognized. Currently, there are 40 faculty, 30 advanced practice providers, and 11 clinical pharmacists, and the team’s clinical activity has grown by 73.7% in the past five years. During the COVID pandemic, Hospital Medicine served as the primary inpatient care provider for all COVID cancer patients. The team now provides 24/7/365 coverage through its onco-hospitalist nocturnal service, which has improved patient flow safety and the patient experience. 

In the area of education, the Department of Hospital Medicine has two first-in-class programs in the joint MDA-Baylor internal medicine residency program and Onco-hospital fellowship programs under his leadership. 

Dr Halm is also passionate about quality improvement and patient safety and has led numerous projects with colleagues across the institution. He was one the first of two faculty members in the Institution to be certified in medical quality by the American Board of Medical Quality (ABMQ) and is a member of the American College of Medical Quality (ACMQ). 

Beyond MD Anderson, Halm has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to educate and train providers in low- and middle-income nations. Specifically, in Ghana, his country of birth, he has worked with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons on topics including patient safety, quality improvement, and the role of the onco-hospitalist, and he has been involved in the development of Project ECHO – Ghana. 

Conrad A. Clyburn, M.S. (U.S. Army Retired)

Mr. Clyburn is CEO, MedForeSight, LLC, an advanced medical technology business development and market research firm, and is a Senior Consultant for clients in academia, industry and government. Mr. Clyburn is former Director of Program Integration and Planning for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), Director, Community Development for the Department of Veteran Affairs funded OSEHRA (the Open Source Electronic Health Record Alliance), Associate Director, Emerging Technology, Imaging Science and Information Systems (ISIS) Center, Georgetown University, and Medical Operations Advisor, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Defense & Aviation. Mr. Clyburn is a senior business advisor for EnSoftek, Inc., Zane Networks, LLC, RTSync, Corporation, and Actuated Medical, Inc. and has provided technology advisory services for academic institutions including Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), California State San Bernadino, University of Michigan, Saint Francis University and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Mr. Clyburn has also served on numerous of Boards of Directors and Advisors including the American Telemedicine Association, the NIH Blueprint MedTech program Steering Committee, the HIMSS (Health Information Management Systems Society) Veterans Career Services Advisory Council, the NASA Medical Information Technology Applications Consortium, the Electronic Health Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) Cloud Service Provider Advisory Council, GapBuster Inc. and the TechConnect Medical Innovation Challenge Review Panel.

Mr. Anderson Lungu (Public Health Specialist)

Mr. Lungu Anderson is an experienced lecturer and researcher in health economics and financing and public health informatics at the University of Lusaka – School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mr. Lungu received his training in public health graduating top of his class at the University of Lusaka. He obtained his Master in Public Health at University of Lusaka, Master of Science in One Health Analytical Epidemiology from the University of Zambia and a postgraduate diploma in Lecturing and Teaching Methodology at the University of Lusaka. Besides that, he is also an experienced consultant in data analysis and research with vast experience in the use of statistical tools and data collection tools. His research interest include risky sexual behaviors in young people, economic evaluations in public health, emerging and re-emerging diseases and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in public health. Additionally, Mr. Lungu has served for over four years and continues to serve as the current Information and Publicity Secretary for the Public Health Association of Zambia.

Dr. Sylvanus Adetokunboh Ayeni, MD

Dr. Sylvanus Adetokunboh Ayeni, MD

Dr. Sylvanus Adetokunboh Ayeni is president and founder of Pan Africa Children Advocacy Watch (PACAW) Inc. (https://www.pacaw.org), a non-profit organization involved in the education of children in Sub-Saharan Africa, currently mainly in Nigeria. He has been involved in development issues in Sub-Saharan Africa in the education and healthcare sectors for several decades. He has participated in medical missions to countries in Africa and has been visiting faculty as a neurosurgeon. As a neurosurgeon in the USA, he worked in the private sector, as a civilian neurosurgeon for the US Navy (for three years), and also in Academia.

Dr. Ayeni was born and raised in Nigeria and is a 1972 graduate of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. After undergoing general surgery training in New York City from 1976 to 1978, he trained in neurosurgery at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals, Madison, Wisconsin. From 1992 to 1993, he was a Research Fellow in the Department of Neurosurgery at Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.

He has been a guest speaker at meetings of national and international associations including keynote speaker at the Annual Meeting of the Medical Association of Jamaica in 2005.

He is the author of the non-fiction book: RESCUE THYSELF: Change In Sub-Saharan Africa Must Come From Within.

Marang Matlala, MSc

Marang Matlala, MSc

Marang Matlala is a global health leader based in Geneva, Switzerland. With an MSc in Technology Management and broad experience in women’s health, health systems strengthening, and emergency preparedness and response, she drives the execution of innovative and scalable solutions aimed at enhancing healthcare ecosystems, fostering sustainable impact, and advancing global health equity.  

Publications

  • Building for Sustainability: Accelerating Regional Manufacturing For Diagnostics: https://www.finddx.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20230413_rep_accelerating_rm_for_dx_FV_EN.pdf. 2023

  • Risk Communication and Community Engagement: unlocking the key to South Africa’s response to SARS-CoV-2. South African Medical Journal. 2021.

  • Leveraging ward-based primary health care outreach teams for intensified case-finding experience from South Africa’s COVID-19 response. South African Health Review 2021. 2021.

Prof. Sababu Shabaka

Prof. Sababu K. Shabaka

Events Logistics and Communications Manager, IME, Inc.

Professor Sababu K. Shabaka is a distinguished retired associate professor of mathematics, having taught undergraduate mathematics at several esteemed institutions, including the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) in Washington, D.C., Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Howard University in Washington, D.C. He holds degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, and Educational Administration, along with a graduate certificate in Management of Information Systems. He spent seven years at AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey, USA, where he served as an associate member of the technical staff specializing in condensed matter physics and co-authored articles in at least two physics journals before transitioning to a teaching career in mathematics. He has also founded two businesses in Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya, and has traveled to over twenty African countries. While teaching at UDC, he led a delegation of adult educators to conferences in Kenya and Tanzania. Additionally, he has been involved with IME since the late 1990s, providing advice on ICT-related matters.