Schedule
DATE | TIME | SESSION |
4-May | 10:00 | Financing Future Infrastructure in African Healthcare |
05-May | 10:00 | Perspectives on the Rise of Global Digital Healthcare |
11-May | 10:00 | The Future of African Aid Funding Post Covid |
12-May | 10:00 | The NHS In International Markets – How can the UK’s world renowned provider ‘go global’ |
17-May | 12:00 | An Introduction to Translational Healthcare and its Impact on Commercialisation in the Sector |
18-May | 13:00 | The Fusion of Public and Private – The Way Ahead for Healthcare in the Middle East |
The Road Back, How Does African Healthcare Get Back to Normal and what does the new normal look like? |
Event Details
Financing Future Infrastructure in African Healthcare
4 May 2021 – 10.00 BST
Chaired by World Healthcare Journal Infrastructure Correspondent Barry Francis this session will examine the different ways in which major and much needed healthcare build projects can be funded across the continent.
Panel includes: –
Oluranti Doherty – Director of Export Development – Afrexim Bank
Paul Da Rita – Independent Consultant and former Head of Global Health PPP at IFC
Richard Cantlay – Mott MacDonald
Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade – Ministry Of Defence – Nigeria
Ralph Martin, Procurement Coordinator at Contracta Construction UK Ltd
As well as representatives from SSA Governments, Export Credit Agencies, Contractors and suppliers.
Perspectives on the Rise of Global Digital Healthcare
5th May 10.00 BST
Chaired by Niti Pall, Global Medical Director at KPMG and featuring international investors, technologists, providers and governments, we will consider the future of digital healthcare and data, and its impact on the delivery of healthcare around the world.
Panel includes: –
Niti Pall – Global Medical Director KPMG
Anusha Patchava – Digital Health Advisor to the United Nations
Dan Morris, Partner, Bevan Brittan
As well as global healthcare investors, providers and governments.
The Future of African Aid Funding Post Covid
11th May 10.00 BST
Chaired by former UK Health Secretary the Rt. Hon. Stephen Dorrell, this session offers insight into the ‘aid and trade cycle’ and the ways in which aid funding can lead to longer term trading relationships. Looking through the lens of the current cuts to wealthier nations aid budgets post pandemic, we look at three examples, Uganda, Kenya and India which are all at different stages of their development.
Panel Includes: –
Ged Byrne – International Director – Health Education England
Representatives from the Indian, Ugandan and Kenyan Health Systems
The Clinton Foundation
The NHS In International Markets – How can the UK’s world renowned provider ‘go global’
12th May 10.00 BST
Sponsored by leading law firm Bevan Brittan, this session will examine the opportunities for one of the world’s most well known and revered healthcare systems to influence and partner around the world. What can the NHS teach and learn from working internationally?
Speakers include: –
Carly Caton – Partner – Bevan Brittan
Alistair Russell – Commercial Director – Imperial College NHS Foundation Trust
Emma Sheldon MBE – Former Head of the NHS Export Collaborative Project at Healthcare UK
Ged Byrne – International Director – Health Education England
Chris Born – Head of NHS Collaborative Exports at the UK Department for International Trade
An Introduction to Translational Healthcare and its Impact on Commercialisation in the Sector
17th May 12.00 BST
Sponsored by Phundex, this session will explore the concept of translational healthcare. The commercialisation of new and innovative ideas in the healthcare space is key to operationalising new ways of delivering care. How does this new, interdisciplinary way of taking healthcare from the lab, to the bedside and into the healthcare system help bring new healthcare ideas to market?
Chair: Steve Gardner, Managing Director of Healthcare World, The Trade Agency
Speakers include: –
Austin Gibbs: Director of The Allan Lab, Director of Immersive Research
Jane Kinghorn: Director of the Translational Research Office, University College London
Paul Guthrie: Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Envelop Risk / Co-Founder and Chairman, VALR
Heather-Anne Hubbell: CEO of Phundex Limited
Joseph Ferenbok: Co-Director of the Translational Research Program in Health Science, University of Toronto
The Fusion of Public and Private – The Way Ahead for Healthcare in the Middle East
18th May 2021 – 13.00 BST
Chaired by Niti Pall, Global Medical Director at KPMG, this session will focus on the huge ambition the Middle East region has shown in terms of its vision for the delivery of healthcare in the coming years, and the ways in which, by harnessing and combining the power of both public and private sectors working together, those ambitions can be met.
Panel Includes: –
Dr Ibtesam Al-Bastaki – Director of PPP Partnerships – Dubai Health Authority
Niti Pall – Global Medical Director – KPMG
Simon Swift – MD – Methods Analytics
Richard Cantlay – Global Health Portfolio Leader – Mott MacDonald
Ben Furneaux, Senior Director and Board Member of Cigna Insurance Management Services
Vincent Buscemi, Partner and Head of Independent Health and Social Care, Bevan Brittan
Dr Dirk Richter – Senior Advisor to the Abu Dhabi Health Authority
Manny Hussain – Senior Advisor Strategic Purchasing & Provider Management at the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
As well as representatives from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
The Road Back, How Does African Healthcare Get Back to Normal and what does the new normal look like?
Dr Anushka Coovadia, Partner at Usizo Advisory Solutions, is joined by a panel including representatives from some of the largest health economies, suppliers and providers in the region to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the continent and its plans to provide universal health coverage, asking what the future looks like for African healthcare and how long it will take to get there.
Dr Nicholas Crisp – Deputy Director General (National Health Insurance) at the Department of Health, South Africa
Speakers
Paul da Rita
Principal – PdR Infra Advisory
Paul is an experienced PPP practitioner who has worked with many public sector organisations in delivering innovative and complex healthcare international PPP projects. Paul led IFC’s Global Health and Education PPP Advisory business and was also the Global Leader for health PPPs for PwC. Paul now works primarily with Multilateral Development Banks and government clients.
Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki
Director of Investment and Private Partnership Dubai Health Authority
Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki is responsible for the development of various Health projects within Emirates of Dubai. She leads, advices and guides on the best practices to ensure a proper holistic expansion in health care industries within UAE. She also initiated the healthcare investment strategy, adopting a PPP concept in healthcare.
Oluranti Doherty
Director, Export Development at African Export Import Bank
Oluranti Doherty is Director, Export Development at African Export Import Bank. She has over 17 years’ work experience that cuts across Financial and Management Advisory, Project Finance, Structured Trade Finance and Credit Analysis and Structuring. She spent the last 10 years originating, structuring and funding transactions across African countries with local and regional financial institutions, international banks and regional and international Development Finance Institutions and Multilateral Finance Institutions.
Barry Francis
Barry Francis Consultancy
Barry Francis has in depth experience in supporting infrastructure and other commercial transactions in healthcare in many countries. As a partner in international law firms, he led teams advising on the structuring, negotiation and delivery of financial and other commercial transactions. His roles now include providing specialist infrastructure support to the healthcare and life sciences cluster at the UK’s Department for International Trade.
Dr Niti Pall
Medical Director, KPMG Global Health Practice
As an expert in primary care, healthcare funding, and diabetes, Niti has pioneered a number of major innovations. She holds senior roles with Axa and KPMG, is the Chair of IDF Europe and sits on a number of clinical and startup Boards.
Jaivir Pall
Founder and CFO of harbr.io
Jai is a multi-disciplinary commercial leader with a background in investment banking, finance, business development and data science. He helps startups strengthen their commercial and financial models and prepare for investment. Jai has Type 1 Diabetes and is also an expert in the field. He regularly advises startups, corporates and regulators on emerging research and technologies related to diabetes.
Dr Mwenya Kasonde
Global Health consultant and Thought Leader
Dr Mwenya Kasonde is a physician and Global Health consultant for agencies including USAID, UNICEF and WHO, and the private sector. She previously served as Assistant Director for Global Health at the Ministry of Health in Zambia. Having worked for the NHS in the UK as a physician for many years, her focus has turned to empowering developing countries to participate in global health policy implementation.
Dr Simon Swift
Managing Director at Methods Analytics
Simon is the Managing Director of Methods Analytics, a data science and AI business with a healthcare specialism. He is focused on improving the use of information so decisions are based on evidence rather than anecdote and whim. Simon leads the business and supports product development and consulting projects with a thorough understanding of the possibilities of modern data science methodologies.
Emma Sheldon MBE
Consultant and former Specialist Lead of the NHS Export Catalyst Project at Healthcare UK
Over the past 20 years, Emma has built businesses internationally and led cross-functional teams in marketing, sales, operations and research and development and has led M&A activity. She participated in a management buy-out of a global healthcare manufacturing business in 2015.
Dr Senait Beyene
Senior Adviser to the Minister, at Ministry of Health- Ethiopia and President of Ethiopian Medical Women Association
Before her current role, she has served as a CEO for the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and as a principal investigator for Center of excellence for reproductive health at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa.
Stephen Dorrell
Chair at Public Policy Projects
Stephen is Chair of Public Policy Projects and Board Member of LaingBuisson, the healthcare market intelligence company. Stephen was Chair of the NHS Confederation between November 2015-2019.
Stephen was a Member of Parliament from 1979 to 2015 and a member of the government from 1987 to 1997. He was a member of the Cabinet as Secretary of State for the National Heritage from 1994 to 1995 and Secretary of State for Health from 1995 to 1997.
Between 2010 and 2014, Stephen was the first elected chair of the House of Commons Health Committee, developing the role of the Committee as an authoritative cross-party voice on health and care policy.
Ben Furneaux
Senior Director and Board Member of Cigna Insurance Management Services
Ben Furneaux is a Senior Director and Board Member of Cigna Insurance Management Services DIFC, responsible for building new strategic opportunities for Cigna International Markets in the region. Ben has led multiple leadership positions globally including the Head of Affordability which concentrated on delivering greater value to Cigna’s clients across the healthcare value chain while improving shareholder return.
Anuschka Coovadia
Head of Healthcare for Africa at KMPG
Dr Anuschka Coovadia is a founder and partner of Usizo Advisory Services, which is an independent Advisory firm (www.usizoas.co.za). She was the Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences for Africa at KPMG for 5 years, during which time she led over 23 projects, related to Universal Health Coverage, across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. She is now a strategic healthcare advisor to KPMG in Africa, and a consultant for the International Finance Cooperation (IFC).
Her passion and life’s commitment is to support the realisation of Universal Health Care in South Africa to create a modern, affordable, high quality healthcare system.
Anushka Patchava
United Nations Expert Advisor, Healthcare (Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain), and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Vitality
Anushka is a qualified doctor from University of Cambridge and Harvard University and possesses a strong scientific background accompanied by professional qualifications in areas including Digital Strategy and Leadership, Value Based Healthcare and Marketing Analytics. She has over 10 years global experience in Healthcare and across Health Systems, including working as a doctor in London and Boston, launching new health solutions and propositions across global markets including India, Dubai and South Korea and delivering product innovation and commercial strategies in the pharmaceutical and medical device sector. Anushka currently is Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Vitality and Head of Health Technology at the United Nations (CEFACT).
Ged Byrne
International Director at Health Education England
Professor Ged Byrne is a surgical oncologist and director of global engagement at Health Education England. He is responsible for the enhancement of the NHS workforce through engagement with countries within and outside the EEA. He is a Professor of Medical Education at the University of Manchester and an honorary Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Salford.
He has a long-standing interest in global healthcare capacity building and education, leading the development of the GuluMan healthcare link and is the founder director of the Uganda-UK Healthcare Alliance. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2019 for global and medical education.
Carly Caton
Partner at Bevan Brittan
Carly is a lawyer specialising in commercial and contractual healthcare matters. She leads Bevan Brittan’s international healthcare practice and works with NHS and independent healthcare providers (and suppliers to the healthcare market) on projects both in the UK and globally. Work involves all types of partnering arrangements and contractual matters, private patient hospital projects, consolidations and mergers and integrated care system projects. Carly advises a diverse range of clients that includes NHS trusts and foundation trusts, primary care providers, equipment providers and other suppliers to the market, and independent healthcare bodies.
Dan Morris
Partner at Bevan Brittan
Dan is an experienced healthcare litigator who has a particular focus on emerging clinical risk and safety issues arising in the fields of digital health and social care, AI and med tech. Dan is Legal 500 recommended and is Bevan Brittan’s Co-Lead for Digital Health. He advises start-ups, SMEs and established corporate providers on liability exposure, indemnity arrangements and other dispute issues.
Vincent Buscemi
Partner and Head of Independent Health and Social Care at Bevan Brittan
Vincent is a highly experienced health and social care lawyer, specialising in commercial, corporate and regulatory law. Vincent is recommended by Legal 500 and ranked in Chambers and Partners; he leads Bevan Brittan’s Independent Health and Social Care Group and works with a wide range of providers, operators, developers, funders and investors on a variety of national and international projects.
Dr Nicholas Crisp
Deputy Director General (National Health Insurance) at the Department of Health, South Africa
Dr Crisp is a medical doctor and public health specialist who has for many years focused on health management consulting across the African continent. He was Head of the Department of Health and Welfare, Northern Province (Limpopo) from 1994 to 1999.
Dr Crisp was then a self-employed consultant and has worked in several African countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania. He led the establishment of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), the transfer of the medicolegal mortuaries from police to health, the creation of the Forensic Pathology Services, and the establishment of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
He is now Deputy Director General: National Health Insurance.
Ralph Martin
Procurement Coordinator at Contracta Construction UK Ltd
Ralph has controlled supply chains in the construction industry for the past 14 years. He graduated in Business Administration from GCU. Since then he has run procurement for projects across a number of sectors, including large-scale HEPs, warehouses, shopping centers, hospitals, oil and gas pipelines and manufacturing plants. He is currently responsible for the control and management of supply chain activities for Contracta’s UK Office.
Patricia Hewitt
Former UK Secretary of State for Health
Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Chair of the Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership since 2017, has served as Secretary of State for Health, 2005-2007, introducing smoke-free legislation, NHS Choices (www.nhs.uk) and ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’, anticipating themes of the Five Year Forward View.
Patricia has a long-standing interest in digital transformation and is a Member of the Advisory Board of Medefer. AsChair of the UK India Business Council, she helped build partnerships between the two countries, and retains her interest in India as Chair of the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development.
Alistair Russell
Director of Business Development at Imperial Private Healthcare, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Alistair is passionate about unlocking commercial value from NHS intellectual property. He leads Business Development for Imperial Private Healthcare and the Trusts emerging International Partnerships business in education and consulting services.
Imperial Private Healthcare (IPH) is one of the largest NHS PPU, caring for over 17,000 private patients and pre-covid generated over £55 million annually. In 2019/20 IPH generated over £25 million for the NHS.
Alistair began his career in healthcare, working for both London Air Ambulance and more recently Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, where he successfully implemented Evelina London Children’s Hospital’s first commercial strategy.
Richard Cantlay
Global Health Portfolio Leader at Mott MacDonald
Richard leads Mott MacDonald’s Global Health Team, focusing on: ODA (Official Development Assistance) Public Health Work; Healthcare System Design and Reconfiguration; Healthcare Facilities; and embedding health considerations across non health related infrastructure work.
With over 20 years of experience, he has a wide portfolio spanning various forms of procurement and contracting including traditional, design & build and PPP however the vast majority of Richard’s experience has been on revenue funded projects (PFI/PPP). Projects delivered include the £300m Forth Valley Royal Hospital and £200m Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary Project.
Richard is also a member of the Healthcare UK Advisory Board.
Lucy Palmer
Technical Director of International Health at Mott MacDonald
Technical Director of Mott MacDonald’s Global Health portfolio, Lucy is responsible for technical leadership of programme delivery and business development. Most recently she has led an assignment for the Global Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, to map and assess innovative learning and performance management approaches, the results of which will inform re-shaping of approaches for Gavi’s next strategic phase and for COVAX rollout.
Lucy was Programme Director of the Technical Resource Facility/Roadmap (TRF+) health systems strengthening programme in Pakistan, led by Mott MacDonald, and is currently Project Principal of the Better Health Programme South Africa.
Chris Born
Head of NHS Collaborative Exports at the UK Department for International Trade
Chris Born, former NHS CEO, has worked as a Senior Consultant Specialist with Healthcare UK based at the Department for International Trade (DIT) for the last nine years.
Since January 2021, Chris has taken on the interim role as Head of NHS Collaborative Exports to shape the NHS Export Collaborative, as announced in the NHS Long Term Plan to support Trusts, ALBs and other bodies to export UK innovations in healthcare.
Chris has worked for the NHS for 25 years, and was the DIT Ambassador for the Ageing Society Grand Challenge of the UK government’s Industrial Strategy.
Please could he also go under the drop down on the 12th May session on the event page on the site.
Manny Hussain
Senior Advisor Strategic Purchasing & Provider Management at the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Manny Hussain is a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Health for the Vision 2030 Transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Manny has helped establish Healthcare Purchasing/Procurement, Clinical Contracting, Service Reconfiguration and Population Health Management. Manny is a front end Implementation Lead with 20+ years’ experience, delivering into the health sector.
Manny has special interests around improvements in Patient Experience and has held positions on various Boards in the Health and Social Care Sector. He was Elected Link representative to the Birmingham City Health and Well Being Board and is currently Chair of Expectations UK Board.
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Tony Lowther
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa, for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
As ‘Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT), Anthony (Tony) responsible for assisting UK Companies involved in Healthcare to expand their footprint into African Markets and to drive UK Investment into those Markets.
Tony has led businesses for major Multinational Healthcare & MedTech Corporations in Europe including Johnson & Johnson & Zimmer, and in South and Sub Saharan Africa where he delivered turnaround strategies for both Stryker Corporation and Alcon Laboratories. Tony also led Ascendis Medical, to the #1 Medical Devices Company in South Africa, in terms of revenue.
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Stan Shepherd
Chief Medical Officer at The Environs Group CEO at Instant Access Medical
Graduate Aeronautical Engineer, Family Physician and visionary leader in healthcare IT. As a doctor he understands healthcare intimately; as a graduate engineer and IT specialist he knows how to harness technology to improve healthcare outcomes; as a businessman he understands the imperatives of revenue, profitability and growth. He is focused on disruptive technology to enable both doctors and patients to get their best outcomes at the lowest costs.
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Chris Bonnett
Project Development Leader & Managing Director Structured Projects UK Ltd GE Healthcare – Africa
Chris is a globally experienced Healthcare leader, with 20 years’ experience in UK & international markets, specialised in Healthcare projects, funding and development. Covering all aspects of partnerships, marketing and commercial through to implementation and P&L management.
Currently focussed on Africa and emerging markets, Chris works with the public and private sectors to deliver large scale transformative healthcare for Ministries of Health, other Government bodies and across the private sector.
The Projects team develops & delivers innovative solutions for the healthcare challenges in Africa including Clinical Department Solutions (working to create Radiology, Oncology and Cardiology programs in partnership with the public and private sector). It is also developing new customer funding schemes for projects in the region utilising ECA & bi-lateral funding.
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
John Hubbell
Chairman – HealthEdge Innovation Inc and the Environs Group
Graduate Aeronautical Engineer, Family Physician and visionary leader in healthcare IT. As a doctor he understands healthcare intimately; as a graduate engineer and IT specialist he knows how to harness technology to improve healthcare outcomes; as a businessman he understands the imperatives of revenue, profitability and growth. He is focused on disruptive technology to enable both doctors and patients to get their best outcomes at the lowest costs.
Oluwafunmilayo Akinlade
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Dr Funmi Akinlade
Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF)
Dr. Akinlade is a public health data analyst at the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation, an NGO based in Nigeria and Washington D.C. She is working on the Nigerian National NCDI Poverty Commission Report in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, The Lancet, and The Program in Global NCDs and Social Change at Harvard Medical School. She previously worked within the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria in the department of Family Health, contributing to the HEPIQ-C program, and is passionate about Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries in Low-Middle Income Countries, with a focus on Nigeria. She studies Global Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and resumes as an Emergency Medicine resident Physician at the University of Virginia in the Summer of 2021, to pursue a career in Global Emergency Medicine.
Chairman – HealthEdge Innovation Inc and the Environs Group
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Asma’u Abiola
Sustainable Health Financing Associate at the Clinton Health Access Initiative
Asma’u Abiola is a Sustainable Health Financing Associate at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Newcastle University and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development and Environmental Economics from the University of St Andrews.
She has experience designing and conducting extensive health financing diagnostic landscape assessments and identifying strategic entry points for optimal impact in complex and multifaceted health financing contexts. Her worked is centered around providing technical advisory on health financing systems strengthening at the national and sub-national levels in Nigeria and she has collaborated with CHAI teams globally and in-country to develop responsive strategies that aim to sustainably address health financing bottlenecks. She has also provided technical advisory on resource mobilization and donor coordination to Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and supervised catalytic response efforts for COVID-19 Infection, Prevention and Control and Case Management Systems Strengthening for the pandemic. She has also worked on Non-Communicable, Malaria and Assistive Technology programs at CHAI.
Oluwafunmilayo Akinlade
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Dr. Chizoba Fashanu
Deputy Director of Essential Medicines, Sustainable Health Financing and Malaria at the Clinton Health Access Initiative
Dr. Chizoba Fashanu is a Deputy Director of Essential Medicines, Sustainable Health Financing and Malaria at the Clinton Health Access Initiative. She has over than 20 years of experience leading health projects in Nigeria with governments, NGOs, and donors across both international development and public health programs. She has worked on HIV, malaria, child, maternal, and reproductive health programs, and has also worked on a DFID-supported program to support state governments in Nigeria implement pro-poor development interventions. In her current role she oversees the implementation of impactful and innovative programs to improve access to care for children and their families. She holds an MBBS from the University of Lagos College of Medicine, an MPH from University of Texas, a PGD in Health Economics from the University of York and an MSc in Epidemiology from LSHTM.
Chairman – HealthEdge Innovation Inc and the Environs Group
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Dr Shola Dele-Olowu
Deputy Director of the Vaccines Programme at the Clinton Health Access Initiative
Dr. Shola Dele-Olowu is a Deputy Director of the Vaccines Programme at the Clinton Health Access Initiative. She is a Vaccines and Public Health Expert, with over 10 years of experience in health policy and financing, vaccine cold chain, supply chain and immunization delivery systems. She holds a Masters’ degree in Health Policy, Planning and Finance from the London School of Economics and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Shola has provided technical and advisory support to the Government of Nigeria at National and subnational levels on vaccines delivery, Primary health care, health systems strengthening, health and immunization financing. Since 2012, she has worked with governments and other development partners to introduce five new vaccines into the Nigerian vaccine schedule and currently supports the planning for the COVID vaccine roll out as a member of the Nigeria COVAX technical working group. She has extensive experience working in both the public and private sectors of health. She has also contributed to complex evaluations in primary health care system strengthening, vaccines and immunization to support the National Government with policymaking.
Oluwafunmilayo Akinlade
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Marta Valeska Garcia Argenal
Team Leader, Healthcare Team, UN Procurement Department
Ms. Garcia Argenal is a procurement specialist and Team Leader for the Healthcare Procurement Team within the Operation Sustainment and Healthcare Section of the Department of Operational Support for of the UN Secretariat. With her main focus on the procurement processes in support of Peacekeeping Missions and is currently in charge of all Medical Procurement in the response for the Covid-19 Pandemic. Previously, she led a UNDP team supporting HQ operations and was the head of UNDP Nicaragua’s Procurement Team. Before joining UNDP, Ms. Garcia Argenal worked in the World Bank in Nicaragua and Washington, DC as a procurement analyst for the Central American Portfolio. She started her career in finance and modernization of the public sector in the Ministry of Finance in Nicaragua and has a master’s degree in the Public Administration.
Chairman – HealthEdge Innovation Inc and the Environs Group
Sector Director – Healthcare & Life Sciences – Africa’ for the Department of International Trade (DIT)
Ernesto Chanona
CSSi Life Sciences
Ernesto Chanona serves as the Director of Business Development at CSSi LifeSciences. His role focuses on helping national and international companies obtain FDA approval, find venture capital funding and enter the US market. The programs at CSSi LifeSciences support the commercialization efforts of biotechnology and medtech companies by providing the regulatory strategy to obtain FDA approval in a way that mitigates time, risk and expense. To support international companies, he fosters strategic partnerships with innovation hubs, international trade organizations, academic researchers, NGOs, and entrepreneurs.