Qualifications
M.D
Research Interests
Prof. Serge Blaise Emaleu, MD is a global health physician and senior emergency
preparedness and response expert with more than 25 years of international experience
strengthening health security systems, leading epidemic operations, and supporting
governments and multilateral institutions across Africa and globally.
He has served in senior advisory and field leadership roles with WHO, UNFPA, UNHCR,
ECCAS, MSF, and Ministries of Health, working across complex and emergency-affected
environments. His work focuses on International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)
implementation, epidemic preparedness & response, disease surveillance, incident
management systems, and infection prevention & control.
Prof. Emaleu has played key roles in major global health emergencies, including Ebola
outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone, Marburg
preparedness and response in Rwanda, and support to COVID-19 pandemic operations.
He has led emergency planning and response teams, developed national and regional
preparedness frameworks, coordinated rapid response deployments, and built emergency
workforce capacity.
As Regional Emergency Preparedness & Surveillance Expert for ECCAS, he has
supported 11 Member States to strengthen emergency readiness, implement IHR core
capacities, and undertake simulation exercises and multisectoral coordination. He is also a
Joint External Evaluation (JEE) expert, helping countries assess and improve national
health security.
Prof. Emaleu previously served as a postdoctoral research scientist at Stanford University
School of Medicine, contributing to global infectious disease research. He holds advanced
training from the Harvard School of Public Health and brings strong experience working
across humanitarian, epidemic, and government systems.
Fluent in English, French, and Russian, he is recognized for his diplomatic engagement,
evidence-based leadership, and commitment to equitable global health security and resilient
health systems.