Agenda

Melissa joined the Department of Digital Health and Innovation in WHO in December 2022 and is the Technical Lead for the Global Initiative on Digital Health as well as supports partnership engagement for the Department. Melissa has 14 years’ experience managing and coordinating implementation and resource mobilization for programs in digital- and community health, CRVS & clinical trial digitization, and information management for emergency response. Prior to joining WHO, she worked at country and regional level with UNICEF and civil society in the African region, and with global program and advocacy for the private sector and civil society organizations such as Plan International and Transparency International. Melissa holds a Master’s in International Maternal and Child Health, and Bachelor Degrees in Management and Chemistry with a Minor in Economics. 

Mbulelo Cabuko is a Biomedical Technologist with around 20-year experience in National Health Information Systems that spans as far back as 2002 where was responsible for the coordination of the National Telemedicine System for South Africa as well as the establishment of the National Health Care Management Information Systems. He obtained a National Diploma and a Bachelor of Technology degree in Biomedical Technology from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Has also obtained a Certificate in Telecommunications Policy Regulation and Management from the Link Centre, Witwatersrand University which has equipped him with ICT Policy and Regulatory aspects for a knowledge-based information society. He has worked as an eHealth Coordinator for the Presidential National Commission on Information Society and Development from 2009 to 2016. He is currently the Director: National Health Information Systems where he is responsible for Coordination and Integration of National Health Information Systems. 

Dr. Muneene has 25 years of progressive experience in global digital health, global public health informatics, digital health governance & literacy and digital health capacity building. He holds a PhD and an MSc in Public Health, an MSc in Computer Science along with various project management certifications such as PRINCE2 and project+. Previously, he served as the regional mHealth and eHealth advisor for the WHO Regional Office for Africa, where he supported 47 African countries with the adoption of eHealth strategies and eHealth solutions. Before this, he served with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as acting branch chief for Health Informatics and Health Systems Analysts / Health Applications Manager.

Mr. Eskandar is currently involved in providing assistance to several developing countries by advising on digital applications and services strategies and policies, assisting in implementing technical co-operation projects in areas of digital governance, health, agriculture, and education. Mr Eskandar is currently leading major projects on digital government, open source for public services, digital health, digital agriculture, and smart villages in collaboration with several governments, UN agencies and other stakeholders. He has led the development of several guidelines and best practices reports on digital applications particularly on digital Government, digital Health and digital Agriculture. Mr. Eskandar has more than 30 years of extensive on-the-ground experience in the field of ICT for Development where he, through working with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent in Switzerland and, UNDP, Ministry of ICT and other NGOs in Egypt, was involved in several development projects in the fields of Health, Education, Illiteracy Eradication, Community Development, SME development and Micro Credits. Mr. Eskandar has an educational background in Electrical Engineering (Telecommunications) and has completed an MBA from McGill University, Canada and a Master Degree in Social and Economic Development Studies from University of Paris I, France.