A Partnership for a Shared Vision of Equity in Global Health

Dr. Jessica Haberer of Harvard Medical School and Professor Yap Boum II of the Institute Pasteur of Bangui will discuss their decade-long collaboration promoting global health equity through advocacy, mentorship, and empowering communities. They will present their new project, “The Village”, an AI digital platform connecting researchers, clinicians and institutions worldwide without barriers. By facilitating cross-border connections, The Village aims to decolonize global health by giving communities access to diverse resources and empowerment to develop innovative, locally led solutions. Drs. Haberer and Boum will reflect on the lessons learned from their long-standing partnership, including the key strategies and approaches that helped them to collaborate effectively and overcome challenges together. Dr. Louise C. Ivers will moderate the conversation.

The event is free and open to the public.

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About the Speakers

Jessica Haberer, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of Research, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health

Jessica Haberer, MD, MS is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health. Her research primarily focuses on the prevention and treatment of HIV and tuberculosis and involves diverse methodologic approaches and disciplines, including clinical epidemiology, behavioral science, implementation science, data science, mHealth, mathematical modeling, and ethics. Current collaborations are ongoing in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. Dr. Haberer is also committed to active mentorship, promotion of diversity in the work force, and equity in global health research partnerships. She is the co-founder of Homegrown Solutions for Health and The Village – an AI-driven digital platform to promote equitable career development and collaboration in global health.

Yap Boum II, PhD, MPH, MBA, Executive Director, Institute Pasteur of Bangui

Professor Yap Boum II is Executive Director of the Institute Pasteur of Bangui in Central Africa Republic. He is the former Regional Representative for Epicentre in Africa, which he joined in 2008 after obtaining his master’s in microbiology and a PhD in Biology at Université Paris-Sud. He holds an MPH from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and an MBA from University of Cape Town.

Professor Boum has implemented several research projects including clinical trials on tuberculosis, malaria, NTDs, Ebola, COVID-19 in Uganda, Guinea, DRC and Cameroon among others. This work has earned him more than 130 scientific publications. For the last two years he has been involved in the COVID-19 response as the Chief of Operations of Public Health Emergency Operating Center in Cameroon.

Boum is the co-founder of Kmerpad, a nonprofit that developed washable sanitary pads to empower women and allow them to fully participate in their education and limit waste. He has also co-founded iDocta, a digital platform that brings healthcare services to the community. Professor Boum started Homegrown Solutions for Health (HS4Health) to promote the creation of a critical mass of Africans to find homegrown and innovative solutions toward addressing the social and health challenges Africa faces. The Village digital platform is the development of HS4Health that will break barriers and connect scientists to transform and decolonize global health.

Louise C. Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H, Faculty Director, Harvard Global Health Institute

Dr. Louise C. Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H is the Faculty Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute and the Executive Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Global Health. Dr. Ivers is also the David Bangsberg Endowed Chair in Global Health Equity at MGH and a Professor of Medicine and Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ivers has spent her career providing care to the rural and urban poor and engaging in patient-oriented investigation that offer solutions to barriers to healthcare. She works on the design, implementation, and evaluation of large-scale public health programs in resource-limited settings with the goal of achieving health equity. She has worked on healthcare delivery in India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. From 2003-2017, Dr. Ivers served in various leadership roles for Partners in Health, including Clinical Director, Chief of mission, and Director of strategic implementation. In addition to expanding access to healthcare for the poor, Dr. Ivers has contributed to published research articles on HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and cholera treatment and prevention and is involved in global policy and advocacy.

About the Global Health Coffee Sessions Event Series

The HGHI Coffee Sessions Virtual Series takes place on the last Friday of each month from 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM Eastern Time. Showcasing global health researchers and practitioners from Harvard and beyond, this series aims to explore the role of partnership and collaboration when working to advance global health equity. A diverse range of topics will be covered; including climate change and health, global health security, mental healthcare, reproductive healthcare access, financing and governance for global health, healthcare in conflict areas, digital health, and more. This series will take place online over Zoom, and all sessions will be recorded and available on our YouTube Channel.

Through our events and programs, the Harvard Global Health Institute provides a platform for different perspectives and debates within the field of global health through a variety of media. The views expressed in these events and programs are solely those of the speakers, authors, researchers, and participating audience. As such, they do not speak for the Institute or the university.