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ABOUT

Health Professionals for Global Health was founded in 2017 with the merging of two already established bodies who work on education and advocacy on global health in the UK. We felt that we could join resources and move forward as a stronger entity to meet our shared objective of ‘global health for all people.’

 

The two groups are Alma Mata and the Global Health Curriculum Group (GHCG).

 

Alma Mata is a network of healthcare professionals interested in global health established in 2005. They provided regular updates on global health news, events, education and careers.  They have over 1000 members across the globe and have provided a forum for continuing training and discussion in global health.

 

The GHCG was founded by a group of UK based doctors at the request of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in 2010. Their main aim was to work towards the inclusion of more global health opportunities within postgraduate training through the inclusion of competencies in the curriculum. The focus was on “what the UK based health professional needs be able to do,” and how training to achieve these competencies could be both delivered and assessed.

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Together, we are Health Professionals for Global Health, and our vision is:

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A UK health workforce that engages with global health challenges to achieve equitable health for all

AIMS

1. Act as advocates for Global Health and social justice both in the UK and more broadly; this will be through raising awareness about relevant situations, activities, opportunities and through collaborating with relevant stakeholders as well as advocating for the inclusion of GH competencies into UK curriculum

 

2.  Keep Global Health education in focus with collaborative working across specialties and boarders to support global health education, action and research to achieve health for all. This will be through promoting learning about Global Health in the UK and providing learning opportunities and advocacy.

 

3.  Build partnerships with key stakeholders and develop a network of health professionals who are engaged in Global Health both in the UK and abroad.

 

4. Build knowledge and understanding amongst health professionals on their role in achieving global health and how they can contribute at the local, national or international level to forward the  agenda.

TEAM

We are steering committee of healthcare professionals in the UK.

CHAIR​

Aula Abbara

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VICE CHAIR

Sanna Ahmad

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STEERING COMMITTEE

Simran Bains

Ioanna Mavratoni

Juliette Pieters​

James Johnson

Beinn Khulusi

Mohammad Abbas Reza

Walaa Idris

Gracy Singh

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MORE ABOUT US

Aula Abbara

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Dr Aula Abbara MBBS DTMH MD(Res) is a consultant in Infectious Diseases/ General Internal Medicine at Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust, London and an Honorary Research Fellow at Imperial College. She has volunteered in different humanitarian and refugee settings including Greece, Sierra Leone, Turkey and Jordan, undertaking direct clinical work, teaching healthcare workers and building capacity. Since 2012, she has volunteered predominantly with Syrian non-governmental organisations, having co-founded the Syrian Public Health Network. Her research interests include attacks on healthcare, antimicrobial resistance in conflict, refugee healthcare workers and, more broadly relating to global and humanitarian health. She chairs and co-founded Health Professionals for Global Health. (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.abbara15)

Sanna Ahmad

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I am a GP registrar currently studying MSc Tropical Medicine and International Health, having completed the DT&MH at LSHTM and an intercalated BSc in Global Health. I volunteer with refugees learning English through Conversations over Borders, and work with Friends of MSF.  As a British Pakistani Muslim, I've grown up navigating two cultures and know firsthand how much richness that brings; in language, food, faith and the way people understand health and care. My interests lie in migrant health, child health and malnutrition in low resource settings.

Simran Bains

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I’m an internal medicine trainee doctor pursuing Infectious diseases and Microbiology higher specialty training. I’m currently completing my MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health. I’ve completed the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a BSc in Neuroscience and Mental Health and previously helped to organise formal clinical teaching programmes for medical students and conferences for Friends of MSF. I am interested in health and structural inequities affecting communities and marginalised populations in the global majority, gender based violence and humanitarian health responses.

Ioanna Mavratoni

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I am an internal medicine trainee doctor. I have an interest in gastroenterology (GI) and research around the microbiome and the effects of the environment in gut health. I recently completed the DTM&H which formally introduced me to global health , providing an avenue through which I can pursue my interests in clinical medicine and  challenge the  socio-economic issues that determine health. Along with another colleague this year we are trying to organise a global health GI forum and create a career pathway for GI and global health enthusiasts. 

Juliette Pieters

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I am a recent graduate from the MSc One Health at LSHTM and the Royal Veterinary College. My interest lies in health policy from an interdisciplinary focus and the social and environmental determinants of health. For this, I draw from my BA from University College Maastricht (2025) in Liberal Arts & Sciences, specialising in Political Science. During the MSc I have delved into intra-household gender differences of water insecurity. I have a strong interest in climate change and health which I have delved into over the past year as student ambassador of LSHTM’s Climate Change and Planetary Health Research Center. Alongside my studies, I actively contributed to various NGO and non-profit initiatives, focused on Children’s Rights, refugee awareness, youth engagement and climate change. 

James Johnson

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I have completed my MSc in One Health; ecosystems, humans and animals, at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), following a BA (Hons) in Geography and International Development (Sussex). 

My research interests focus on the intersection of global health, climate change, food systems, and health policy, with a particular emphasis on applying interdisciplinary and systems-based approaches to address complex global challenges, including food insecurity, disease burden, and environmental degradation. My Masters thesis examined how integrated governance and One Health approaches can strengthen policy coherence and health system resilience in Pacific Small Island Developing States, and consisted of a policy audit across 14 PSIDS, and key-stakeholder interviews.

Beinn Khulusi

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 I am a resident doctor from the UK, currently working in Australia. My  interests are in global health, health justice, and infectious diseases. This year, I have gained experience working in malaria research in Central Africa, and am currently undertaking projects on emerging and neglected infectious diseases in Oceania alongside my clinical role. 

Mohammad Abbas Reza

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I am an Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology Registrar in Nottingham. I am also currently in the process of completing an MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health. I am passionate about global health and have a particular interest in Tuberculosis. 

Gracy Singh

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I am a resident doctor in the UK, currently working in Medical Education, and with a clinical interest in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine. I have an intercalated BSc in Global Health and I’m currently completing my Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at LSHTM. My interests lie in global health policy, humanitarian health responses and advocacy for under-represented and marginalised groups. I’m particularly interested in how health systems and policy can better address structural inequalities and improve access to care for communities affected by conflict, displacement and other humanitarian crises.

Walaa Idris

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I am a Physical Therapist from Sudan currently completing an MSc in Public Health for Global Practice at LSHTM. I have experience in health systems research, policy, humanitarian health and refugee and migrant health, including work with newcomer communities in Canada. My interests lie in health equity, displacement and the social and environmental determinants of health, particularly how health systems can better respond to the needs of marginalised and displaced populations. My current thesis explores neglect of chronic respiratory diseases in displaced populations in sub-Saharan Africa.

© 2023 by Health Professionals for Global Health.

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