The University of Cape Town (UCT) proudly hosted the inaugural Health Collaborative Convening from October 15th to 17th, 2023, at the scenic Protea Hotel by Marriott, Waterfront Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town, South Africa.
News and Events
Discover the latest developments and upcoming events of the Collaborative.
Dr. Jennifer Wilson, MD CCFP(EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH FCM-AS is a comprehensive family physician who practices emergency medicine in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada.
She is a Lecturer at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto, mentoring medical students and residents in her community practice. Dr. Wilson is the Director of International Partnerships at the Leyaata Hospital in Savannah Region, Ghana, West Africa where she has been involved in teaching, training, and capacity building since 2007. In 2023 Dr. Wilson was honoured to accept the position as Faculty Lead for the academic collaboration between the DFCM and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) under the umbrella of the African Health Collaborative. In the Spring of 2024, Dr. Wilson completed a Master of Public Health Family and Community Medicine (Advance Standing) with a Collaborative Specialization in Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.
Jamie Rodas, MPH, is an administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), University of Toronto, where she has worked for 9 years. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health.
Jamie has over a decade of experience in project coordination, project management and advocacy in the fields of global health, health equity, and healthcare system strengthening. She has supported and fostered active collaborations with multiple stakeholders internationally and locally in Canada.
Jamie is the DFCM point person for the Africa Higher Education Collaboration and Project Coordinator for the DFCM. She supports the integration of all DFCM activities with the AHEC and long-term collaboration with the AHEC.
Susan Cleary is Head of Department and Professor of Health Economics in the School of Public Health at the University of Cape Town.
She joined the School in 2001, becoming the director of the Health Economics Unit (2007-2012), Associate Professor in 2011, Head of School in 2022, and Professor of Health Economics in 2023. She holds a Masters’ in Economics (2001) and a PhD in Public Health specializing in Health Economics (2007), assessing equity and efficiency in HIV-treatment in South Africa. Her work focuses on research, capacity development and policy engagement within the areas of economic evaluation, health care priority setting and universal health coverage. She is interested in considerations of both distributive and procedural justice in health and health care. For the former, areas of interest include cost-effectiveness, affordability and financial risk protection to households from alternative interventions. For the latter, areas of interest include the governance of health technology assessment and related priority setting processes. She plays a key role in teaching health economics at the postgraduate diploma, masters’ and doctoral levels.
Dehran holds a BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology, a BSc (Med) Hons. in Community Health and a HDE (PG) Sec in Education and MPH.
Dehran has experience as a secondary school educator; specialist scientist at the MRCSA (health promotion); senior project manager at the Paraffin Safety Association of Southern Africa; and senior manager within the Faculty of Health Sciences.
He previously directed research on international studies funded by a NIH Fogarty R01 grant as well as by CDC/WHO.
He served as a consultant for WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative in Geneva and as contributor / regional consultant for the WHO African Region / Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO World Report on Child Injury Prevention, 2008).
He has been employed as the Health Teaching Platform Manager (Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT) for the past 10 years.
He is a Board Member at Ithemba Lobomi, NPO based in Thembalethu, George; Chairperson of the Dr Aadil Moerat Medical Bursary Trust and Chairperson of the Victoria Hospital Facility Board.
Damen Haile Mariam, MD, MPH, PhD, is a Professor of Public Health and Health Economics at the School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Professor Damen is registered as a Consultant Community Health Specialist with the Federal Ministry of Health (serving as member and consultant within various national and international professional committees). In addition, he is a fellow of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences.
He is currently serving as Dean of the School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University (since 2019); Regional Editor (Africa) for the South Eastern European Journal of Public Health (since 2014); and Member of Ambo University Board (since 2022). He has also served as: President of the Ethiopian Public Health Association (2001-2005); Member of the Executive Board of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (2003-2006); and Editor-In-Chief of theEthiopian Journal of Health Development(2009 – 2016).
Tom Parker is the Grants and Office Manager with the Office of the Vice President, International, at the University of Toronto where he leads the administration of grant funding programs and administrative processes for the office.
Tom has led projects and managed staff teams for seven years. Prior to OVPI, Tom supported Indigenous communities in northern Canada with locally delivered housing and economic development initiatives. Tom completed his MPA from Western University, specializing in Canadian municipal politics, and holds a B.Ed. and B.A. Outside of work, Tom enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his son.
Ernest is the Program Officer for West Africa, Office of the Vice President International, University of Toronto.
Ernest coordinates University of Toronto’s projects and programs in the West Africa subregion. Ernest previously worked with KPMG as Manager where he managed the Firm’s business development Unit in Ghana and contributed significantly to increasing the service lines and revenue of the Firm. Prior to that, Ernest was Program Officer with World Vision International, Ghana where he was responsible for the planning and implementation of youth trainee sponsorship, child protection and donor relations. He led and improved donor retention and deepened donor relations. Ernest joined the U of T from Regent University College of Science and Technology, a private University College affiliated to KNUST as the Dean, School of Business, Leadership and Legal Studies. He developed industry relevant and demand – driven postgraduate programmes and short courses to beef up the academic programmes of the College, strengthened industry -academic relations. Ernest chairs the Ghana Research – Industry Collaborative Steering Committee.
Ms. Marie Therese Yaba Ndiaye is the Regional Lead, Health Networks at the Office of Vice President International at the University of Toronto.
She leads the implementation of the Health Employment Pillar of the Africa Health Collaborative, which aims to expand the capacity to train primary healthcare workers to meet growing demand in Africa. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, she worked with USAID, World Food Programme, and community-based organizations on climate resilience and humanitarian assistance programming. In those positions, she covered and traveled widely in West and Central African countries. She holds a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology and can work in French, English, and Portuguese.
Dr. Penina Lam is the U of T’s Senior Director of International Relations, where she leads strategic engagement and development of partnerships with Africa.
She also leads the implementation of the Africa Health Collaborative, designed to facilitate talent development and entrepreneurship among African youth. She oversees the Secretariat team and works in close partnership with colleagues across U of T, with African institutions, and the Mastercard Foundation.
As a scholar-practitioner, she’s passionate about research and programs that foster access to and equity in education, health, and employment opportunities. Prior to joining U of T, she worked as an Organizational Development (OD) consultant at the World Bank, in healthcare and education sectors. She’s experienced at engaging with diverse stakeholders to design, develop, and deliver impactful learning and talent development program.
Her academic career has spanned research, faculty, staff, and senior leadership roles working with African, Canadian, and US institutions. Dr. Lam holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & OD, with a focus on Human Resource Development.
