The former head of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Mosoka Papa Fallah, has been appointment as Technical Assistance Team Lead for the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) Program, Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) duty station, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Saving Lives and Livelihood is a US$1.3 billion program to provide COVID-19 vaccines to 70 million Africans from the 55 countries of the African continent. The Master Card Foundation provided the funds to the African CDC to implement four strategic pillars for the Africa: (1) support to member states’ purchasing of COVID-19 vaccines; (2) support to the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines; (3) strengthening of the Africa manufacturing of human vaccines; and (4) strengthening Africa CDC’s ability to provide strategic oversight, coordination and support.
And as he dawned into a new day, the former NPHIL boss was appointed into his new position following a successful interview process that was concluded recently.
In his new role, he leads a team of Public Health experts that work with all 55 countries including Liberia, to develop the country support plan and the subsequent micro-plan to determine the allocation of funds for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, creation of COVID-19 Vaccine Centers (CVC), Pharmacovigilance, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE).
His appointment is jointly between AFENET and The Africa CDC; and in his new portfolio, he leads a team of Senior Public Health Experts and Rapid Response Teams from across Africa. He also closely works with a Team of consultants from the McKenzie Constancy Firm in Addis Ababa.
The Africa CDC was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. The African CDC is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency and envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programs.
Africa CDC has been at the forefront of the continent’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency has set a goal to vaccinate 60 percent of the continent’s population before the end of 2022. To achieve this ambitious and critical goal, the Africa CDC and the MasterCard Foundation have launched the “Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme,” – a “partnership for COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa.” The partnership is a unique initiative due to its scope and scale, the critical topics it focuses on, as well as the way it will be governed.
AFENET, on the other hand, is a non-profit organization established in 2005 with a mission to improve human health through the strengthening and expansion of applied epidemiology and laboratory capacity in partnership with Ministries of Health, Non-Governmental Organizations, international agencies, private sector and other public health agencies. AFENET has its headquarters in Kampala, Uganda, with operations in more than 30 African countries.
Accordingly, as Technical Assistance Team Lead for the “Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme” of the Africa CDC, Dr. Fallah is responsible to lead the development of technical implementation guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (e.g. through Technical Working Group (TWGs).
He is also responsible to lead the setting of overall program target and support in the monitoring of performance, as well as lead the onboarding of suitable partners for the implementation of various programs of the organization.
“The Technical Assistance Team Lead shall: Support the performance review of implementing partners and validate their work; provide technical expertise to regional implementing partners on a proactive basis or based on the request of the regional implementing partners; manage technical officers and other staff under the Technical Assistance Team; support Regional Program Teams and the Program Manager in the development of country program plans and other plans; lead the development tools, dashboards, guidelines, and knowledge documents that can support the implementation of Africa CDC’s Saving Lives and Livelihoods Program,” said a communication to Dr. Fallah.
Furthermore, he is tasked to supervise the process of determining the priorities and dependencies of programs and projects, in cooperation with all stakeholders, and manage risks associated with Africa CDC Program Management Unit operations.
In addition, he will also perform any other related activities as requested by the supervisor and represent Africa CDC in a professional manner, which creates a positive image and enhances the credibility of the organization.
The Liberian health expert will then deliver a mid-term and annual and Special Performance Review as required and signed by his supervisor.
“This position will receive direct supervision from the Program Manager of Saving Lives and Livelihoods at Africa CDC,” the communication furthered.
The Liberian global health expert has since relocated to Addis Ababa where he has already hit the ground running.