The founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Rescue Place International (RPI) and former director-general of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) Dr. Mosoka P. Fallah, has been invited to participate in a virtual Congressional briefing Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research.
A Congressional briefing provides an opportunity for staff of the U.S. Congress to learn more about a particular topic in order to inform their work and develop legislation.
According to an invitation extended to the former NPHIL boss, the congressional briefing is being scheduled for July 21 at noon EST on global vaccine equity at the Boston University’s Federal Relations office.
The session will discuss the current global vaccine coverage and projections of availability and distribution in high-risk areas, the current global and US commitments to date for vaccine production and distributions to low and middle-income countries, and areas where the US can lead moving forward.
“This will be a one-hour panel, with three panelists each giving brief prepared remarks followed by a moderated Q&A session. Josh Michaud of the Kaiser Family Foundation will be the other participant aside from myself, and we have also invited Ed Yong to moderate our discussion. Your role in ensuring regional access to vaccines and public health leadership in West Africa, and your insights on the new wave of cases in West Africa would be incredible [information] for congressional staff members to learn from,” the communication added.
In a related development Doctor Fallah has been appointed member on the External Advisory Board of 1Day Sooner.
The mission of the United States-based health body (1Day Sooner) is to advocate on behalf of COVID-19 challenge trial volunteers.
The organization surveys potential COVID-19 challenge trial participants and models the risk of challenge trial participation. It also advocates to publicize National Institutes of Health (NIH) challenge protocol as well as carries out reinfection study protocol and advocate for vaccine equity.
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“Per the attached role description, EAB members are featured on the 1Day Sooner website and may be asked to provide additional insights on, or speak about, specific matters from time to time,” said the communication to the Liberian public health expert.
“We do not anticipate this involving a significant time commitment on your part, and in any event, you are of course free to decline to participate in specific EAB activities based on your availability, preferences, and the policies of your institution,” the communication among other things added.
Accordingly, the 1Day Sooner Board of Advisors (BoA) will consist of academic, non-profit, and industry leaders with expertise in public health, epidemiology, bioethics, and other relevant domains.
The BoA is to provide strategic guidance to the 1Day Sooner leadership team and Board of Directors about the development and improvement of the organization.
BoA members’ names and biographies will be included on the 1Day Sooner website in an advisor section and affiliated publicly with the organization in this informal advisory role.
As part of their assigned tasks and responsibilities, members of the BoA receive and respond to inquiries from 1Day Sooner leadership in a timely manner and act as a sounding board to the leadership team about the development of the organization.
Furthermore, members of the BoA are to attend a call with 1Day Sooner leadership once a year and appear at a town hall for the organization’s volunteers once a year.
In a bid to engender transparency in the discharge of their mandates, members of the BoA are to disclose conflicting interests to other persons or entities that may arise, while at the same time comply with all 1DS policies, such as conflicts of interest and confidentiality (policies will be provided to advisors as they are crafted and implemented).
At the same time, the Liberian health expertise has been invited to join the Panel of the Movers (PoM).
POM is a group of African global health practitioners who will provide strategic support to the Global Health Decolonisation Movement in Africa (GHDM-Africa).
As part of the roles and responsibilities, members of PoM are to conduct at least one activity every quarter that is directly relevant to global health decolonization and report to the PoM. Suggested activities include speaking at or participating in public events, contributing to publications such as blogs, editorials, and academic articles, or posting relevant content on their social media channels, to mention a few.
Also, they are to participate in the GHDM-Africa’s events and activities including attending PoM meetings (thrice a year) either in person or virtually.
Among other things, PoM members are tasked to enthusiastically champion and promote GHDM-Africa’s activities through their professional and social media networks as well as alert the PoM on possible initiatives, events, or opportunities regarding global health decolonization as well as any requests for collaboration received from external parties.
