Dr. El Hadji Amadou Niang Appointed as Interim Director of Scientific Programs
On 1st March 2023, Dr. El Hadji Amadou Niang was appointed as Interim Director of Scientific programs. Dr. El Hadji Amadou Niang is a senior medical entomologist. His interests encompass various aspects of mosquito vector ecology, population genetics and genomics, evolution and applied consequences of insecticide resistance, and the control of mosquito vectors of human disease, with a particular focus on malaria vectors.
Prior to joining PAMCA, El Hadji worked as a consultant for WHO and UNDP in several sub-Saharan countries. He has also worked with several NGOs, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) as the Regional Associate Malaria Vector Control, Francophone West, and Central Africa. Dr Niang is the lead of the RBM- VCWG Workstream 1 Task Team 4, addressing the non-biological threats of vector control tools/interventions. He provides technical support to NMCPs, training their staff in the design and implementation of targeted vector control interventions to eliminate active foci based on the Integrated Vector Management (IVM) strategy. El Hadji is an active member of several national and international technical committees and affiliated to numerous scientific vectors societies.
As the current Interim Director of Scientific Programs at PAMCA, El Hadji commits himself to saving lives and reducing the vector-borne diseases burden in the continent by helping to nurture a critical mass of African problem-solvers to solve Africa’s health and developmental problems, engaging equitably the female and male workforce to tackle VBD, strengthening local governments and reinforcing national and international partnership.
How do you feel about your appointment as Interim Director of Scientific Programs at PAMCA?
As a researcher in my lab, I have been contributing to generating evidence to better guide the control of malaria vectors, but I soon realized the limited impact of my work. It was thus clear for me to save more live, I needed to join a leading VBD control body. With that ambition, it was obvious that PAMCA, being the unique agency having its footprint across the continent and dedicated to Improving human health, was the one place where my dream could come true. I look forward to working the PAMCA team.