MMSc-GHD 10th Anniversary Panel: Women's Health

Join us for this panel where three MMSc-GHD alumni will discuss their work in women’s health. Ifrah Abdi, BSN, MMSc ’22 is a nurse midwife from Somaliland and a current LEAD fellow at HSPH who is working as a consultant with the Somaliland Ministry of Health. Ifrah will talk about her research on assessing factors that impact maternal health outcomes in Somaliland. Christophe Millien, MD, MMSc ’20 is an obstetrician from Haiti and is currently Chief Medical Officer at Mirebalais University Hospital (HUM). Christophe will discuss how the team at Mirebalais University Hospital incorporate social medicine in reproductive health at HUM. Yassah Lavelah, BSN, MMSc ’20, is a nurse pursuing a degree in social work who launched and leads an organization in Liberia dedicated to helping women get good maternal care. MMSc-GHD Program Director Joia Mukherjee, MD, MPH, will moderate the discussion.
Ifrah Abdi, BSN, MMSc ‘22
LEAD Fellow, Harvard School of Public Health
Ifrah holds a BSN and a midwife degree from Edna Adan University Hospital in Somaliland, a Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School, and over two decades of experience as a clinical supervisor, instructor, and associate dean of nursing. Ifrah has taken part in training the next generation of community midwives, ensuring that pregnant women and newborns receive the quality care they deserve at the hospital and its satellite clinics. She is currently in Harvard's lead fellowship program promoting women in global health. Her project is to build a non-profit organization that provides antenatal care, postnatal care, and safe childbirth to vulnerable women in rural areas of Hargeisa. Ifrah also works with the Ministry of Health Development as a consultant to identify the reason for the underutilization of optimum-level maternal care practice in Somaliland.
Yassah Lavelah, BSN, MMSc ’20
Program Manager, Bancroft
Yassah Lavelah has over seven years of experience as a nurse and social entrepreneur with a focus on the role of maternal health in community development. In 2008, she partnered with her mother to create the Ma V. Maternity Clinic as a social enterprise serving over 30,000 women and children without access to healthcare in Paynesville, Liberia. Yassah plans to work on developing the first community-based midwifery center in Liberia. The center will provide a platform for midwives to engage the community in direct response to the alarming rate of infant and maternal mortality in Liberia.
Christophe Millien, MD, MMSc ‘20
Chief Medical Officer, Mirebalais Hospital
Christophe Millien received his training at Haiti’s State Medical School. After graduation, Christophe was initiated in Global Health and Social Medicine after serving a year in Lascahobas and further pursuing his education in gynecological services. In 2008, he began working for Zanmi Lasante as Medical Director. Now, Christophe is working as Chief Medical Officer at Mirebalais University Hospital. He is the winner of the GFELaward for the top 100 medical educators worldwide and the outstanding leadership award. He has participated in many research projects. He recently published an article about uterine fibroids in the International Journal for Equity in Health.
Joia Mukherjee, MD, MPH
Program Director, HMS Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery Program
Dr. Mukherjee is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and associate professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School. In the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, she directs the Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery program and the Program in Global Medical Education and Social Change. She teaches infectious disease, global health delivery, and human rights worldwide to health professionals and students. Dr. Mukherjee has helped create new residency and fellowship training programs for Rwandan and Haitian physicians, global health residencies, and fellowships for US trainees at Harvard and other American universities.