Dr. M.M Dalhat
An infectious diseases physician and medical epidemiologist
with 20 years clinical and public health experience. Equipped
with specialist training in Internal Medicine, Infectious and
Tropical Diseases, and a Master’s in Public Health. In-depth
descriptive and analytic capacity, project management,
negotiation, leadership, strategic planning/execution, scientific
and strategic communication, evidence-based decision making,
operational planning and delivery in national and international
emergency response, International Health Regulations (IHR),
and strengthening surveillance and response in low- and
middle-income countries (LMIC). Passionate about building
strong Public Health Institutes in Africa capable of efficiently
preventing, detecting, and responding to public health events
with overall goal of building sustainable and resilient systems.
Track record of conceiving, planning, and implementation, and
publication of national and international studies. Enjoys
teaching and mentoring, research, developing and
implementing innovative interventions, and exploring new
challenges. Served in various leadership positions within and
outside academic settings and has several book chapters and
peer-reviewed publications to his credit. He developed the first
concept for rapid response training for the NCDC, published
local case studies for training field epidemiologists based on
outbreaks in Nigeria, and the outbreak response revolving fund
that was used to effectively respond to the COVID 19 outbreak
in Nigeria, and is now used as a model to establish a
continental revolving outbreak response fund for responding
to outbreaks in the West African Sub-region.
Part of several national and sub-national scientific committees
as well as important national surveys on diseases of public
health importance. Drafted the community mobilization
strategy for the world largest AIDS indicator and impact
assessment – the Nigeria’s National AIDS Indicator and Impact
Survey.
A graduate of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory
Training Program (FETP) who worked as surveillance and
response advisor for the African Field Epidemiology Network
(AFENET), supporting Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC) to respond to major outbreaks, activating and
managing emergency operations centers, as well as working
with Technical Working Groups. Provided surveillance and
response guidance to the team that developed the NCDC
strategic plan: ‘From Idea to Reality’; was part of NCDC’s team
that prepared and conducted Nigeria’s Joint External
Evaluation (JEE), and subsequently, developed the National
Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). Led the team that
provided technical support to the Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) on the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems
Enhancement (REDISSE) project. Worked with CDC’s Global
Border Health Team, to establish a working group with 5
countries that shared border with Nigeria collaborating and
sharing information as well as jointly responding to trans-
border surveillance and response issues. A fellow of the West
African College of Physicians and African Institute of Public
Health Professionals (AIPHP), he is the current Vice President
of the Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society, among the mentors
of the distinguished fellows of the CDC’s Improving Public
Health Management for Action (IMPACT) program and
privileged to be part of the United States International Visitors
Leadership Program (IVLP). Has contributed significantly to
Nigerian COVID 19 response as part of the coordination,
surveillance, and case management pillars. Part of the team
developing Nigeria’s workforce strategy, Nigeria’s Infection
Prevention and Control Governance strategy, as well as other
efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s health security architecture at
national and sub-national levels. His research interest includes
surveillance and response to epidemics, tuberculosis and HIV
co-infection, determination of cost-effective interventions for
global health challenges such as maternal and child health and
snake bites, among others. Worked with WHO on monitoring
and evaluation of the NAPHS, and currently part of the ACDC
commissioned advisory group for development of enhanced
surveillance for COVID 19. Member of WHO Expert Group
Consultation on Health Systems for Health Security. Has
received several awards among which includes the most
published staff, the most innovative staff, and then the
sportsman of the year in successive years in AFENET Nigeria.
He is married with four children.