The Global South Research Collaborative’s first webinar on the topic “Pandemic Accord: SIMPLIFIED” is scheduled to be held on November 14, 2024. This webinar is part of “The Simplified Series” organized jointly by PATH and the Institute for Competitiveness for catalyzing North-South and South-South partnerships, for empowering the Global South to take ownership of global policy pieces, and to foster champions of global health in the Global South.
In the first webinar of the series, we simplify the WHO accord on pandemic preparedness and response, and its key areas of negotiation and discussion. With learnings from the global COVID-19 pandemic management and response, WHO’s 194 Member States initiated a process to develop and negotiate an accord on Pandemic Preparedness and Response. The proposed accord is centered on ensuring fair access to pandemic-prevention resources for all. However, since ideation, the accord discussion has continued to resolve complex global health governance issues, equity concerns, and legal frameworks.
You could register for the webinar at https://path.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RORWAohoTA2Omnn45yHVmQ#/registration
The tentative outline of the agenda is:
Context and agenda setting by Prof Amit Kapoor, Honorary Chairman, Institute for Competitiveness
Short presentation on the Pandemic Accord by Dr Ankur Mutreja, Director of Strategy, Partnerships, and Communications, PATH
Reflections on the Pandemic Accord: Voice of Africa by Dr Edward Kariithi, Director of Country Programs, PATH
Commentary by Dr. Neren Rau, Director of Policy, CEPI
Q&A moderation by Dr Thida Lin, Programs Director – Myanmar, PATH
The webinar can be watched below
Bio profiles of Speakers and Panelists
Amit Kapoor, PhD, is Honorary Chairman at Institute for Competitiveness, India; He is an affiliate faculty for the Microeconomics of Competitiveness & Value Based Health Care Delivery courses of Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness, Harvard Business School and an instructor with Harvard Business Publishing in the area of Strategy, Competitiveness and Business Models in addition to being a lecturer at Stanford University wherein he teaches courses on Reimagining Capitalism, Innovation & Competitiveness and Understanding Modern India. He has been inducted into the Competitiveness Hall of Fame which is administered by Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School in addition to being the recipient of the Ruth Greene Memorial Award winner for writing the best case of the year, by North American Case Research Association (NACRA).
Amit is the author of bestsellers “Riding the Tiger”, which he has co-authored with Wilfried Aulber and “The Age of Awakening: The Story of the Indian Economy Since Independence” published by Penguin Random House. He recently published a book titled “The Elephant Moves” with Amitabh Kant on India’s Competitiveness and one on “Jyotirlingams” with Bibek Debroy.
He has worked with NITI Aayog, Indian Prime Minister’s Think Tank on conceptualizing the Innovation Index, Export Preparedness Index, School Education Quality Index, District Potentiality Index et al. He has as well worked with Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister to develop indices on Ease of Living for Elderly, Foundational Learning and Numeracy Index, Social Progress Index for Indian States and Districts. Amit is a columnist with Economic Times, Business Standard, Mint, Financial Express and Business World and had published over 1000 opinion pieces in addition to his academic contributions.
Ankur Mutreja, PhD, FRSB, Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Communications, South Asia, is a seasoned global health professional with expertise and academic publications in vaccines, diagnostics, epidemic and pandemic preparedness, among others.
His last stint was at CEPI, where he managed partnerships with lower and middle-income countries, including responsibility for the design and implementation of a strategic roadmap to engage with the Global South. Previously, he led projects at the University of Cambridge and the MSD- Wellcome Hilleman Laboratories. Ankur is a trained genome scientist, microbiologist, and bioinformatician, with a doctorate in molecular biology from the University of Cambridge.
Dr. Edward Kariithi is a medical doctor and program management specialist with 15 years of progressive experience on complex integrated public health projects in various roles in Kenya and the Africa region. His expertise is in program design, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). He has extensive experience in diverse program implementation for USAID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute Of Health (NIH) among others in HIV/TB prevention, care, and treatment and Non-Communicable Disease management. Dr. Kariithi currently serves as the Programs Director for PATH Kenya, Regional Service Delivery Technical Advisor for PATH and NCD Lead for the Kenya Country Program providing strategic, technical and implementation support for HIV/TB and NCD and public health projects in Kenya
Neren Rau is currently Policy Director at CEPI. The policy team at CEPI informs and responds to a changing external environment and develops informed, aligned and robust positions on policy matters important to CEPIs mission. We strategically engage with partners (multilateral structures, international organisations, political leaders, CSOs/CBOs) and advocate for a responsive PPR health architecture.
Prior to joining CEPI, Neren worked in Merck’s/ MSD’s Sub-Saharan Africa business, where he was part of the team that was responsible for: broadening access and developing innovative measures to do so; partnering with patient groups, medical societies, community health workers and the media to support and grow the programmes; and working with governments to address vaccine programmatic challenges. With responsibility for the breadth of MSD’s disease portfolios, Neren also had to realize the synergistic benefits of our vaccines business with our oncology, specialty care and other primary health care portfolios, and equally support these disease portfolios. In the 12 years leading up to his career at Merck, Neren was CEO of South Africa’s (then) largest organized business structure, the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also worked at the SA Reserve Bank and the SA National Treasury.
Neren also served as an Executive Director or as an Independent Director on the Boards and Audit Committees of several private and public companies.
Thida Lin was born and raised in Myanmar. She was professionally trained as a medical doctor. With her strong passion for public health, she received the Community Based Health Diploma from the Colorado State University. She was also a Fulbright Scholar and earned her master’s degree in public health at the University of South Florida. She awarded the scholarship in the International Visitor and Leadership Program (IVLP) to learn about the “Public Health Issues in US” funded by the US Government.
She is currently work as a Programs Director at PATH Myanmar Country Office. She has almost twenty years of progressive leadership experience in public health; maternal and child health, TB, HIV and Malaria at different INGOs including Pact Myanmar and PATH. As a key player of the Country Leadership Team, she worked in different technical and management positions by contributing her excellent technical, programmatic, financial management, monitoring and evaluation skills. She has high program delivery, excel in the program, people, financial and subgrants management, and coordination experience in USAID, UN and other cooperation funded projects.
