Dr Justin M. Maeda is a Global Health Fellow and Expert, a Public Health Manager, and a Disease Detective from Tanzania. With over 15 years of experience, he has led healthcare delivery and public health programmes and designed solutions in epidemiology and disease intelligence within Africa. His leadership in pioneering public health research, championing of organisational transformation and institutional development, and mentorship in global health leadership, where he has nurtured the next generation of health professionals, have left a lasting impact. He is the Head of Planning, Reporting and Accountability at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His role as a strategic advisor has been instrumental in establishing and strengthening Africa CDC. In his service at Africa CDC, he has spearheaded the designing and establishing of continental initiatives, including the Knowledge Hubs Initiative, Trusted Travel, Continental Sero Survey for SARS COV 2 during the emergency phase of COVID 19 pandemic, and Health Information Exchange (HIE).
Before his tenure at Africa CDC, Dr. Maeda had significantly contributed to implementing public health initiatives in Africa and his home country. He served as the medical response coordinator under the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), a consultant medical epidemiologist under the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) for the rebuilding of health systems post-Ebola in Liberia, and a district medical officer (DMO) under the Government of Tanzania. Dr. Maeda’s academic qualifications include a global health leadership fellow with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a Master of Science degree (MSc) in applied epidemiology, and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Muhimbili, Tanzania.
His contribution in health and humanity has been recognised globally and within his organisation, earning him awards for his contributions to global health, institutional development, and public work. His efforts in the fight against the Ebola outbreak in West Africa were recognised with the 2014 Director’s Award on Global Health Partnership from the US CDC. He has published and featured several scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals on epidemiology, outbreak response, health system strengthening, and global health.
