Ahmed E. Ogwell OUMA

As Deputy DIrector General I oversee all the programmes of Africa CDC. This includes:

• planning, managing and evaluating all programmes.
• oversight for the strategic approaches and delivery of Africa CDC programmes.
• ensuring accountability for and adherence to internal controls and external regulations, policies and laws.
• facilitating efficient and optimal use of resources for the programmes to deliver on Africa CDC's mandate.
• developing, establishing and maintaining good working relationships with Africa CDC's governance structures including the Committee of Heads of State, and the Governing Board.
• ensuring good working relations with partners and funders.
• working closely with Africa CDC senior management to provide effective leadership for Africa CDC.
• developing, coaching and mentoring high performing staff at Africa CDC.
• leading a team of over 350 professionals across Africa in routine programme work, emergency response, special projects and daily operations.
• providing a work environment where staff can be innovative and work optimally to deliver on Africa CDC's mandate.

Some key achievements include:

• Coordinated development of the new strategic plan (2023-27).
• Supported approval of the new staff structure by the African Union Executive Council and Assembly of Heads of States.
• Strengthened the working relations with funders and implementing partners.
• Secured new resources and support for priority areas of work for Africa CDC.

As Acting Director of Africa CDC I was the CEO and head of the institution and responsible for the overall leadership and strategy. This included:

• led and managed all aspects of Africa CDC work including programmes, daily operations and oversight.
• ensured accountability and strengthening of an ethical, informed, and transparent organizational culture and way of doing business.
• ensured integrity of all information issued by Africa CDC is based on scientific evidence.
• worked closely with senior management to provide leadership for Africa CDC's operational readiness and delivery on the continent.
• led engagement with African Union (AU) Member States, Africa CDC governing board and AU policy organs to provide strategic guidance and resources.
• led engagement with partners to support the Africa CDC in achieving its mandate.
• leveraged professional networks and expert knowledge to strengthen Africa CDC relationships.
• Mobilised significant resources to support the work of Africa CDC including funding for core functions like staffing and operations.
• hired, mentored professionals to join Africa CDC and inspired them to remain as part of a high performing team.

Some key achievements include:

• established Africa CDC as the premier public health agency on the African continent.
• mobilised over USD 350 million to support the work of Africa CDC.
• maintained regular, evidence-based communication with Africa CDC's constituencies through media briefings and strategic communication.
• initiated and established a monthly communication with ministers of health in Africa on the health security status of the continent.
• secured support from AU policy organs for the expansion of Africa CDC staffing and resources.
• established a forum where partners regularly meet and share their inputs to Africa CDC's work.
• increased the staffing strength of Africa CDC to over 350 professionals.
• established Africa CDC's leadership in the health security space globally, through the vision of a New Public Health Order.
• led engagement with the top leadership of the continent at Head of States level to launch - (1) Lusaka Call to Action for Public Health Emergency Operations Centres (July 2022); Call to Action on Africa's New Public Health Order (September 2022); Re-imagining Health Workforce Development for Africa's Health Security (September 2022).
• organised the very successful 2nd Edition (and first in-person session) of Africa CDC's International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) in Kigali, Rwanda (December 2022).
• established and maintained a monthly town-hall meeting with all Africa CDC staff to discuss staff welfare and work environment.

As Deputy Director of Africa CDC I was responsible for all operations of the institution including Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, administration, and oversight of the 5 regional offices. This included:

• planned, managed operations and evaluated the programmes of the agency.
• developed clear annual workplans, and supervised effective implementation.
• ensured accountability for and adherence to internal controls and external regulations, laws and policies by all programmes, offices and staff of Africa CDC.
• promoted an accountable, ethical and transparent organisational culture among staff and partners.
• established, revised, or reviewed policies, procedures, objectives and organisational design to make Africa CDC more efficient.
• worked closely with senior management and the Director to advance Africa CDC's objectives and mandate.
• led, coached, mentored and retained professionals to work for Africa CDC.

Some key achievements included:

• led the operations of Africa CDC's and AU's response to the COVID19 Pandemic.
• led operations of Africa CDC and engagement with countries and partners in response to dozens of health emergencies and disease threats in Africa including COVID19, Ebola, Cholera, Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever, Mpox etc.
• elaborated an updated structure of Africa CDC with clear deliverables for each work area.
• fully established four (4) of the five (5) regional offices -Africa CDC Regional Coordination Centres (RCCs).
• supervised over 100 professional staff across the continent of Africa.
• coordinated development of agreements with many partners and funders, and mobilised over USD 200 million to build internal capacity of Africa CDC.

As Programme Manager for Prevention and Control of NCDs and Regional Advisor for Tobacco Control my responsibilities included:

• coordinated a team of professionals to support African countries to address issues of tobacco control, alcohol control, unhealthy diet and physical activities and surveillance of risk factors.
• ensured support to countries in Africa for implementation of the global and regional instruments for NCDs prevention and control including social, economic and environmental determinants of health.
• was the focal point for advocacy to and negotiations with regional economic blocs to align their policies to contribute to the prevention and control of NCDs.
• supported African countries to ratify and implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
• supported countries to develop national laws and establish enforcement and compliance protocols so that laws related to the prevention and control of NCDs are implemented effectively.
• mobilised resources for activities and relevant staffing by creating effective partnerships with donors and other non-state partners including philanthropies and NGOs.
• strengthened partnership with all levels of WHO including other programs like HIV, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and TB, so as to mainstream NCDs into all health activities.

Achievements included:

• mobilised over USD 20 million to support activities and staffing to meet the programme's mandate.
• signed agreements with Africa multi-lateral institutions including the African Union (AU), East African Community (EAC), West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (ECOWAS).
• initiated a multi-sectoral method of work at country level where the Ministry of Health, WHO and relevant non-state actors planned together for the prevention and control of NCDs.
• regularly built the capacity of Directors and Programme Managers of NCDs from the ministries of health.
• initiated a new phase of work with non-health sectors including trade, finance, customs, agriculture and environment, to benefit NCDs prevention and control.
• mainstreamed NCDs work into other programme areas including maternal and child health, TB and HIV.
• developed guidance tools (strategic plan, national coordination mechanism, tobacco control policy, compliance and enforcement) for implementation of the WHO FCTC at country level.
• developed guidance tools for multi-sectoral action plans for the prevention and control of NCDs at country level.
• supervised over 20 staff across the continent.

As Team Leader for implementation Assistance and Partnerships, my responsibilities included:

• deputized the Head of the Convention Secretariat.
• coordinated country-level implementation of the WHO FCTC.
• coordinated activities with partners within and outside of the UN system, in the implementation of the tobacco control treaty.
• Coordinated review of Party reports and development of a global report on the progress made in implementation of the WHO FCTC;
• was the lead person in supporting Working Groups to develop guidelines for implementation of the treaty;
• established a database of available resources for supporting implementation of the Convention globally.
• Mobilised resources for activities and appropriate staffing.

Achievements included:

• established a fully functional Convention Secretariat within a year.
• mobilized about USD 2 million for activities and staffing to support needs assessments and implementation of the treaty at country level.
• developed tools for needs assessment for implementation of the treaty.
• developed a database of potential sources of assistance for implementation activities.
• supported countries to access the available resources for implementation of the treaty.

As the Director of the Office for International Health Relations I was head of global affairs for the MoH with responsibilities:

• to establish the new office for International Health Relations within the MoH in Kenya.
• Led negotiations for the MoH Kenya in bilateral and multilateral meetings and forums.
• Followed up implementation at the national level of decisions made during international meetings;and
• Developed the role of Kenya in international technical and scientific cooperation for health.
• Was the focal point for all intergovernmental organizations (AU, EAC, ECSA, COMESA, WHO, IGADD, UN etc.) for all health matters.

Achievements included:

• established a fully functional office for International Health Relations within 6 months.
• Systematically implemented health obligations in bilateral and multi-lateral agreements that Kenya had previously signed (e.g. Kenyan nurses deployed to Botswana and Namibia).
• successfully led negotiations on behalf of Kenya at various bilateral and multilateral forums including AU, World health Assembly, the UN platforms, EAC, ECSA etc.
• Built capacity of MoH senior staff in negotiations and resource mobilisation.
• I supervised about 12 staff at the HQs.

As Director of Noncommunicable Diseases at the MoH in Kenya my responsibilities included:

• Developed policies, regulations and laws for the prevention and control of NCDs and their risk factors.
• Had overall supervision of peripheral health facilities on management of NCDs including capacity building for staff.
• Coordinated awareness campaigns for the prevention and control of NCDs including their risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, diet and physical inactivity.
• Mobilised resources for activities and staffing.
• Was the focal point in government for prevention and control of NCDs and their risk factors.

Achievements included:

• Established a fully functional division and programme of NCDs in MoH Kenya.
• Established the first national NCDs Committee in the Government of Kenya.
• Developed the first national guidelines for breast cancer and for diabetes in Kenya.
• Established functional diabetes clinics in a majority of the district hospitals in Kenya.
• Secured the First Lady of Kenya to be a national level Champion for NCDs in Kenya.
• Mobilised about USD 120,000 for NCDs activities and staffing.