Nigerian appointed into board of Global Polio Eradication Initiative

A Nigerian global health expert, Dr Lola Dare has been appointed into the Transition Independent Monitoring Board (TIMB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has the goal of completing the eradication and containment of all wild, vaccine-related and Sabin polioviruses, such that no child suffers paralytic poliomyelitis again.

Dare was appointed with two other experts into the three member board, Sheila Leatherman, a Professor of Global health policy at the Gillings School of Public Health of the University of North Carolina, USA, and Senjuti Saha , a Bangladeshi – Canadian microbiologist.

Dr Dare is a community physician, epidemiologist, global health practitioner, development consultant, social entrepreneur and health advocate of over 30 years.

GPEI , on its website said she has championed the application of evidence and data for policy, evaluation and accountability by a broad range of non-state actors including civil society and community-based organisations, private sector and the media.

“Lola Dare has been in the forefront of advocacy for resilient, accountable rights-based health care services and systems strengthening, and has engaged with high level policy makers, parliamentarians, large donor funded programmes, national governments, intergovernmental organisations and agencies.”