Key skills and expertise

With 33 years of experience in global health and humanitarian aid, the expert is skilled in program management, epidemic response, and health project integration. They have led international initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, adapting programs to crises like COVID-19 and Ebola. As a Country Director and Health Advisor, they managed large-scale health and nutrition projects, improved program quality, and ensured security. Notable achievements include developing an automated drug order system and doubling program capacity during a near-famine. Fluent in multiple languages, the expert is proficient in data analysis and quality control.

Project experience and donor exposure

The expert has collaborated with international donors such as ECHO, EuropeAid, USAID/OFDA, and the Global Fund. Their involvement includes writing project proposals and donor reports, implementing health projects, and reacting to outbreaks. The thematic focus was primarily on health, including epidemic responses and vaccination campaigns. The scope of these projects was national, taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, with a focus on integrating emergency health responses into primary health care systems.

Sectors and geographic focus

Worked extensively in the health, humanitarian aid, emergency response, monitoring and evaluation, water and sanitation, and grants and resource management sectors. Previously held roles such as Country Director and Health Advisor, managing large-scale health and nutrition projects and integrating emergency responses into primary health care. Their cross-cutting expertise includes developing automated systems for health project management and integrating disease outbreak responses. The geographic scope of work includes the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Kosovo, addressing complex regional health and development challenges. Extensive geographic experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo has provided in-depth knowledge of the local health system and cultural dynamics. Managed health and nutrition projects in Somalia and gained experience in Kosovo and the Netherlands, understanding regional development challenges and governance issues, particularly in crisis and post-crisis settings.

Languages and education

The expert is a native Dutch speaker and fluent in English and French, with strong working knowledge of Swahili and German. These language skills have been utilized extensively in international settings, particularly in managing health and humanitarian projects in multilingual environments such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. Language proficiency has facilitated effective communication and collaboration within diverse teams and across various cultural contexts. The expert holds a Medical Doctor degree from the Faculty of Medicine at Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, Netherlands, obtained in 1989. They also completed a Diploma from the Netherlands Society for Tropical Medicine, following a two-year internship and a Tropical Medicine course at the Royal Institute for the Tropics in Amsterdam, with the diploma signed in May 1994. Additionally, they studied the Swahili language from 1991 to 1992.