What Health Leaders in Africa Really Need

This week, Dr. Elvira will be speaking with Dr. Issakha Diallo, M.D., Associate Director for Health at the Performance Group, about what health leaders in Africa need in terms of support and how to be more effective.

Dr. Issakha Diallo most recently completed an  assignment with Management Sciences for Health (MSH) as Project Director where assisted the implementation of the USAID/West Africa flagship regional project Action for West Africa Region II (AWARE II). The objective of the three year project was to continue the promotion of best practices in family planning, newborn, maternal and child health in 21 countries in West and Central Africa.

Dr Diallo is a public health specialist with more than 30 years experience. He has worked in multiple technical areas, including reproductive health, Primary health care, HIV/STI, community nutrition, school health, essential drugs, and health sector reform. He successfully oversaw a US$92 million USAID funded Advance Africa project the implementation of innovative RH/FP interventions in 11 countries including very difficult post conflict contexts in DRC, Angola,  Zimbabwe and Mozambique. He has also been an instrumental leader in schools of public health (e.g. the Senegalese Institute for Health & Development, the Rwanda School of Public Health ), in the area of institutional capacity development for the public and NGO sectors.

Dr Diallo has worked extensively with the international donor community, including USAID, the World Bank, WHO, UNICEF, and the European Union, on a variety of major international public health programs. He is a physician and holds a MPH and DrPH in health systems management and international health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, as well as a French "Agrégation" degree (Professor Degree) in Public Health.