Program

Billo Tall is a dedicated medical professional from Senegal, who earned her Medical Degree in 2014 from Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal. She has over seven years of experience working as a general practitioner in various healthcare settings. In 2020, she completed a Master’s in Public Health at the same university, which strengthened her commitment to advancing population health through research. In 2020, Billo joined the Epidemiology, Clinical Research, and Data Science Unit at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she successfully implemented and coordinated multiple research studies, including a COVID-19 cohort study and a multicenter randomized open-label clinical trial on COVID-19. Billo has also served as an investigator in a range of research projects, including clinical trials focused on various themes such as microbiome research in pregnant women and children, identifying the causes of fevers in Senegal, and improving diagnostic tools for pregnant women.
Billo is an active member of the Pasteur Network as a research assistant. In 2024, she was part of the Gates Foundation's Goalkeeper for her research on the microbiome in pregnant women.

Abdourahmane SOW is a Senior Medical Epidemiologist and the current director of the public health department at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, where he oversees pandemic preparedness, clinical research, and health system strengthening. He has more than 15 years of experience in public health management, emerging disease surveillance, epidemic control, and infectious disease modeling, both nationally and internationally. Dr. SOW previously headed the laboratory services at the West African Health Organization (WAHO), focusing on epidemic control. He has played a key role in establishing and supervising surveillance programs for arboviruses and hemorrhagic fevers at the WHO Collaborating Center. Dr. SOW was involved in creating Senegal's National Digital Early Warning System for syndromic surveillance and led the development of regional laboratory networks and data-sharing platforms in West Africa. Additionally, he contributed to the West African Accreditation program for laboratories following ISO 15189 standards. A certified SLIPTA auditor and WHO expert in biosecurity and sample transportation, Dr. SOW has coordinated national investigations into arbovirus and hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Senegal. He has also been deployed as a WHO team leader for outbreak response and control in various African countries. Dr. SOW holds a PhD in Epidemiology, a Medical Doctor degree, and a Master of Public Health, having trained in both Bordeaux School of Public Health and the University of Dakar.

Dr Alioune Ibnou AB Diouf is a recognized expert in supply chain and pharmaceutical management, with over 21 years' experience in the public health, humanitarian NGO and pharmaceutical industry sectors. He holds a degree in pharmacy from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, as well as two Masters degrees, one in Local Development Management and Social Engineering, the other in Supply Chain Management, and a DIU in Antibiotics and Antibiotic Therapy. He has contributed to a number of international projects, including the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in West Africa and the strengthening of laboratory systems in Africa. As Supply Chain Manager at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, he led cross-functional teams, optimized logistics processes and integrated innovative technological solutions. Dr Diouf has also worked with WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières and ALIMA, bringing his expertise to bear in a variety of contexts, from humanitarian emergencies to sustainable development projects. As Director General of the Agence Sénégalaise de Réglementation Pharmaceutique (ARP), he is committed to strengthening healthcare systems and improving the quality of care, guaranteeing access to essential medicines worldwide. Polyglot and visionary, he takes on the complex challenges of global healthcare.

Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall is a virologist and public health expert, holding a PhD from the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. A specialist in arboviruses and viral hemorrhagic fevers, he has published more than 200 scientific articles in renowned journals. Since 2016, he has served as the General Administrator of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, where he has held several key positions, including Head of the Virology Laboratory.
Dr. Sall has played a critical role in several African countries during the Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19 outbreaks, as well as in other public health emergencies, leading field missions. He is a recognized educator, having trained students at various international institutions. A member of numerous scientific committees, he has chaired the Pasteur Network since 2021, a global network of 30 institutes.
Honored with several prestigious awards, he is regularly consulted by international organizations such as the WHO for his expertise. Dr. Amadou Sall is a respected leader in research and the management of public health crises both in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Ibrahima Sy is Professor and Senior Lecturer in Health Geography at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in Dakar, and Associate Researcher at the Centre de Surveillance Écologique (CSE) in Dakar. After a PhD in Health Geography at the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, he worked in several international institutions, including the Université de Strasbourg, the Institut National de Recherche en Santé Publique (INRSP) in Mauritania, the Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique in Côte d'Ivoire, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss-TPH), and the CSE before joining UCAD in 2017. His research focuses on the environment, climate change, spatial epidemiology, public health and urban health. Author of numerous publications and scientific reports, Dr. Sy is a member of the International Association of Ecology and Health (IAEH) and a reviewer for scientific journals. He has over 13 years' experience as an international expert in environment, climate and health, having collaborated with organizations such as WHO, the Global Fund, UNICEF, GEF, AFD and Save The Children. He also works for the Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS), contributing to global public health projects.

Dr. Karell G. Pellé is the Head of Health Systems Strengthening unit in the Department of Public Health at Institut Pasteur de Dakar. Dr. Pellé holds a PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is a public health specialist with over 10 years of experience working internationally with NGOs, research institutions and ministries of health.
Her work focuses on developing and testing innovative strategies to enhance equitable access, quality and acceptance, of diagnostic and vaccination services using digital tools and strengthening epidemic preparedness at community level in sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dr. Pellé was Senior Scientist, Public Health at FIND, Geneva, and Infectious Disease Programme Manager at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Boston.

Dr Socé Fall, as he is universally known, is a public health scholar, global health leader and infectious diseases epidemiologist. Most recently (2019–2022), he served as Assistant Director-General in charge of WHO’s emergency response. During this term, he led the Organization’s response to high-impact epidemics, humanitarian crises and acute public health events at global level. He was formally the Regional Emergency Director in WHO’s African Region (2015–2019). Previously, he had been the WHO Representative in Mali (2012–2015), during which time he had also been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as Ebola Crisis Manager and Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER, 2014–2015). From 2007 to 2012 Dr Fall served as Regional Adviser in the WHO Regional Office for Africa in charge of strategic planning for the malaria control programme as well as coordinator of the working group on strategic planning of the global Roll Back Malaria partnership;
Dr Fall was trained as a military physician and has over 30 years’ experience in medical practice and public health. He earned a doctorate in medicine (DrMed) and a master’s in public health from Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar, a doctorate in public health (PhD) jointly issued by Tulane University, USA and UCAD, and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development from Tulane University. Dr Fall also specialized in tropical medicine and epidemiology at the French Military Institute of Tropical Medicine and Aix-Marseille University in 1994–1995. Prior to joining WHO, Dr Fall held various positions in his native Senegal – He notably led Senegal’s efforts to interrupt dracunculiasis transmission in the 1990s.
A fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians of the UK, Dr Fall is the co-author of more than 100 scientific articles and book chapters.

Namal Nawana is a business leader and Healthcare Investor and Entrepreneur with a particular focus in the Medical Devices and Diagnostics industry. Mr Nawana is the Chairman and Founder of Neoenta, a wholly owned venture firm with ownership interests and intellectual property assets in healthcare. Through his design firm Neoenta Design, he has personally led the design of numerous technologies most recently the blood draw and detection patches and drug delivery devices from and telepresence platform from the Satio corporation and a number of IVD ptoducts as well as novel continuous glucose monitoring technology. Mr Nawana has extensive experience leading global public companies and was formerly Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Smith & Nephew Plc, based in the United Kingdom. Before joining Alere, he spent more than 15 years at Johnson & Johnson in progressively senior leadership roles globally, including the role of Worldwide President of Johnson & Johnson’s multibillion dollar DePuy-Synthes Spine business. Mr Nawana is a member of the advisory board of JHPiego, a Johns Hopkin affiliate supporting maternal care in low income countries.

Professor Akin Abayomi is a specialist in Internal Medicine, Haematology, Biosecurity, and Environmental Health. He holds a medical degree from the University of London, fellowships from the Royal College of Medicine and Pathology (UK), and the College of Medicine of South Africa, along with a Master’s in Environmental Ecology from the University of Pretoria. Prof. Abayomi has worked in diverse regions including the UK, Nigeria, the Middle East, the West Indies, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. He is currently serving his second term as the Honourable Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Nigeria. Previously, he was a Professor of Medicine at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and the Chief Pathologist at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He founded the Global Emerging Pathogen Consortium (GET-Africa) during the Ebola outbreak and has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles. Prof. Abayomi is a fellow of the African Academy of Science and has received national honors for his contributions to medicine, including his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

MD, PhD, Specialist in Infectious diseases and Bacteriology-Virology. Former Senior Minister to the President of the Republic of Senegal. She is the President of the Association Galien Africa, which organizes annually the Galien Forum Africa and Prix Galien Africa.
Prof. Coll Seck has been twice Minister of Health in Senegal (2001-2003 / 2012-2017). She was named “Best Minister in the World” in Dubai in February 2017 at the World Government Summit.
She had the responsibility of directing the Department of Infectious Diseases at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal. Prof. Coll Seck was Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) from 2004 to 2012 and Director of the Department of Policy, Strategy and Research of UNAIDS (1996-2001).
She is on the Board of Directors of: Resolve to Save Lives, AFRIVAC, GAVI-the Vaccine Alliance, Grand Challenges Canada, Exemplars in Global Health, Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck is a member of the Noguchi Prize for Africa (Japan), of the Virchow Prize (Germany) and of the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program (USA) and of steering committee of the ANRS | Emerging infectious diseases (France).
She has received numerous honors, including Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite of Senegal, Burkina Faso and Gambia, as well as the the Palmes académiques, Ordre du Mérite and the Légion d’Honneur of France. She has also received the decoration of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star of Japan Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck is the author of more than 150 scientific publications.

Professor Sombié is a senior researcher with 30 years' experience in health research in West Africa. He is Full Professor of Epidemiology at the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Santé of the University of Nazi Boni in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. He did his medical studies at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, then went on to obtain a DESS, a DEA and a Doctorate in Public Health from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium). After 14 years of research at the Muraz Center in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, he joined the West African Health Organization (WAHO) in 2008 as Research Professional. He then became Senior Research and Grants Professional in 2017 and since October 2021 Acting Director of the Department of Public Health and Research. His areas of interest are maternal and child health, clinical trials, diseases with epidemic potential, Diabetes, health policy and systems research, research systems development, research ethics and promoting the use of evidence to improve policy and practice. Prof. Sombié is the author of over 150 scientific articles in international journals.

Prof. Thierno Baldé is currently leading the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar, which serves 27 countries in West and Central Africa. Previously, he was the team lead for operational partnerships within the WHO Regional Emergency Program for Africa, overseeing key initiatives like Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), and Health Clusters. He established and managed a network of over 60 regional operational partners, including sub-regional organizations, donors, and civil society organizations, to bolster Africa’s public health emergency response efforts. Dr. Baldé has extensive experience managing major public health emergencies in Africa, such as cholera, Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, and the public health consequences of cyclones. He has served as incident manager at both the country and regional levels for numerous crises. With a background in academic research and experience with the Canadian government, Red Cross, and the International Federation of Red Cross, Prof. Baldé is also a trained medical doctor with a master’s in health services management and a PhD in Health Care Services Organization from the University of Montreal. In addition to his professional roles, he is a professor of global public health at the University of Montreal and other institutions worldwide.