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Africa Health Collaborative Research Fund 2026

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Africa Health Collaborative Research Fund 2026

Flag of Canada Canada Flag of Ethiopia Ethiopia Flag of Ghana Ghana Flag of Mauritius Mauritius Flag of Rwanda Rwanda Flag of South Africa South Africa

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Photo of Akmal Samsor

, MPH, MBBS

Senior Research Officer/MELA Lead Office of the Vice-President International

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of John Nkengasong

Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives, and Special Initiatives, Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation

Director, Collaboratives and Special Programs, Mastercard Foundation  

Mastercard Foundation

Photo of John Nyagaka

Chair, Young Leaders' Table

University of Toronto

Profile

Akmal Samsor, MPH, MBBS

Senior Research Officer/MELA Lead Office of the Vice-President International

Office of the Vice-President International

Akmal Samsor is a public health professional, researcher, and MELA specialist with more than 20 years of experience using evidence to strengthen programs, inform policy, and support healthier communities in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

He is a Senior Research Officer at the Office of the Vice-President, International (OVPI), University of Toronto, and serves as the MELA Lead for the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC), where he supports monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation efforts to strengthen primary healthcare systems across Africa. His work spans infectious diseases, maternal and child health, gender-based violence, WASH, and capacity building, developed through collaboration with governments, NGOs, and UN agencies. Akmal is passionate about turning data into practical insight, helping partners learn, adapt, and build more equitable and responsive health systems.

Email Address
akmal.samsor@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile
Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is the Executive Director for Higher Education at the Mastercard Foundation

John Nkengasong

Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives, and Special Initiatives, Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation

Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is a distinguished virologist and global health leader with more than 30 years of experience in public health. He currently serves as the Executive Director for Higher Education at the Mastercard Foundation, where he oversees the Foundation’s higher education and health workforce development portfolios.

Previously, he was the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and the Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), leading U.S. efforts to strengthen global health security and manage infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. He was the founding Director of the Africa CDC, where he established it as a key autonomous health agency and coordinated Africa’s COVID-19 response, securing vaccines for the continent. He held critical roles at the U.S. CDC and contributed extensively to global health diplomacy.

He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Yaoundé, an M.Sc. from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, and a Ph.D. from the University of Brussels, and leadership training certification from Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Recognized among Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2021, Ambassador Nkengasong has received numerous awards, including the Virchow Prize for Global Health. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Vatican Pontifical Academy of Life.

Email Address
jnkengasong@mastercardfdn.org
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile

Ashley Collier

Director, Collaboratives and Special Programs, Mastercard Foundation  

Mastercard Foundation

Email Address
acollier@mastercardfdn.org
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile
John Nyagaka headshot for Africa Health Collaborative

John Nyagaka

Chair, Young Leaders' Table

University of Toronto

John Nyagaka is a recent graduate of the Master of Health Informatics at the University of Toronto as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.

He is from Kenya, and his journey has taken him across Africa and internationally.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Ashesi University in Ghana. Furthermore, he has had the privilege to develop hands-on professional expertise in digital health, data science, education, technology, and financial services.

Email Address
jm.nyagaka@mail.utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Kenya
Program
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Governance
Executive Steering Committee