Epidemiologist, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Leads and supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health and the Ministry of Health in the establishment of the National Public Health Institute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Dr. Jose Nyamusore is a global health security expert, medical doctor, and epidemiologist with a background in public health and global health security who currently works with the Bizzell team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Dr. Nyamusore leads efforts in supporting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Global Health, Division of Global Health Protection and works with the Ministry of Health (MoH) on the establishment of a National Public Health Institute (NPHI) in the DRC that can coordinate essential public health functions in the areas of public health workforce development, emerging infectious disease surveillance, laboratory systems and emergency preparedness and outbreak response, among other areas. Dr. Nyamusore also assists with surveillance, providing technical assistance and training to improve surveillance data and supervision of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR). NPHIs are critical, science-driven public health institutions for any country that lead and coordinate all essential public health functions within the MoH.
Dr. Nyamusore’s wealth of knowledge and expertise was instrumental in helping Rwanda prevent the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), mostly the 10th EVD outbreak at the borders of Rwanda and among the leaders in the first ever public health diplomacy between DRC-Rwanda bilateral agreement to jointly collaborate, share information and work force experience exchange and learning during the 10th EVD outbreak in DRC. He played a role as the head of epidemic surveillance and response and head of Rwanda COVID-19 epidemiology and operation cell within the Rwanda COVID-19 National Task Force until mid-December 2020. He played a technical coordination role by availing at the earlier beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a national response plan and testing capability through collaboration with strategic partners. His achievements include the contribution to the real time surveillance, many outbreak investigations and control in Rwanda and cross-border.
Q & A:
Bizzell tackles projects that impact public health issues locally and globally. How does your project/role align with this mission/strategy?
Currently, as a member of Bizzell’s Global Programs, I am supporting CDC in the establishment of the DRC National Public Health Institute (NPHI) and surveillance activities which is a new public health (PH) institution that will oversee the implementation of PH policies and emergency management nationwide for the improvement of human capital development and the improvement of well-being of the Congolese population. This is a key recommendation of AFRICA CDC to member states—to tackle global health security challenges across the African continent.
How do you demonstrate Bizzell’s core values inside and outside the organization? Within your respective community? Core Values: Innovation; Collaboration; Integrity; People First; Excellence; Diversity; Service
As a public health, global health security (GHS) and emergency management expert, implementing public health and the global health security concepts and approaches in a dynamic global context requires embracing these values and characters. For example, the understanding of diversity leads to greater collaboration and therefore leads to greater innovations. Integrity is the backbone of excellence and service to the community and contributes to human capital development at large.
What do you enjoy most about working at Bizzell?
There are many things that I enjoy about working at Bizzell: (1) the enthusiasm of the hiring interview and first induction panel; (2) the opportunity to live my dream of sharing my experiences in GHS and leadership in disease surveillance and emergency management; (3) the opportunity to learn from a broader, globally experienced group of colleagues and other Bizzell US collaborators in GHS; and (4) the kindness and warm welcome of Dr. Anton Bizzell during my visit at the Bizzell US HQs. Bizzell US is building and shaping my career to be more equipped to deliver for broader, global community well-being.
What is something about you that few people know, and what is a fun fact about you?
I am a resilient, disciplined, result-oriented, team/network builder, and I am motivated to learn. Some of best things I enjoyed during my career was when I was responsible for disease surveillance and response in my country of Rwanda: (1) preventing the cross-border Ebola outbreak when the risk was high from having one of busiest borders with high traffic (50-65K people crossing daily); (2) being among the early advocators for a first ever bilateral (DRC-Rwanda) agreement (PH diplomacy) during a health emergency (10th Ebola outbreak in DRC) and leading the multi-discipline team for immersion; and (3) collaborating with RKI/German and ensuring COVID-19 test capacity at the beginning of the pandemic (when it was still an unknown respiratory disease) and leading the epidemiology and operations cell within the national COVID-19 task force. In addition, I oversaw the establishment and deployment of cross-border surveillance teams and materials. Also contributed to reduce the burden of cholera disease by adopting and implementing the use of science-based, environmental evidence.
I like being with happy people and I enjoy vacations. My family comes first.
Do you have a favorite quote?
Love People, Serve People. It is my own quote.