In recognition of her exceptional efforts and expertise in countering the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon and the region, Dr. Nada Melhem, Director of the Division of Health Professions and Coordinator of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the American University of Beirut (AUB), was selected to be on the COVID-19 WHO Epidemiology Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Dr. Melhem is the only professional from the Middle East and North Africa region.
Dr. Melhem is joined on this Advisory by other representations from the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom; University College London (UCL), United Kingdom; Harvard University, USA; Ministry of Health , Singapore; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Norway; Department of Health, South Africa; The University of Hong Kong and Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile.
The purpose of this Technical Advisory Group is to inform the WHO public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic through review of available epidemiological data, identification of gaps in our understanding of the epidemiology of the COVID pandemic and recommend approaches for data collection, analyses, and communications to control this pandemic.
“I am happy and honored to join the COVID-19 Epidemiology Technical Advisory Group and to be part of this expert forum working together to understand the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19. I am looking forward to participating in shaping the control of the COVID-19 pandemic through continuous monitoring of the pandemic epidemiology across countries, as well as effectiveness of interventions."
Dr. Melhem is a member of the National Committee for Communicable Diseases (Ministry of Public Health) since 2009, a member of the COVID-19 Expert Committee at AUB and a council member of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.