GNSH 2022 Spring Summit

WHO ACADEMY VISION: 

The WHO Academy aims to establish itself as an accessible and innovative learning hub for health care workers around the globe, supported by the latest adult learning science, a brand new, proprietary, Digital Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and a state-of-the-art simulation center. The simulation facilities are currently being designed to specially develop competencies for large teams in complex scenarios, a topic that usually is not addressed by most simulation centers. This will be mainly achieved through an indoor 900 sqm open space area where multiple scenarios can be recreated physically or virtually through Augmented Reality. 

SPEAKER BIOS: 

Nelson Olim 
Head of Simulation Learning
WHO Academy

Born in 1971 in Lisbon (Portugal), Nelson Olim is Head of Simulation Learning at the WHO
Academy in Lyon (France) since 2019. He was previously Deputy Chief Surgeon for the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, WHO Regional Advisor for the
Emergency Medical Teams Network in the Middle-East, and WHO Trauma Coordinator for Gaza.

His field experience includes conflict and disaster areas in Africa, the Americas, the Middle-East, Asia and Europe, namely Honduras, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Gaza, West Bank, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Yemen, Ukraine, Indonesia, East-Timor, and Cambodia.

A graduate of Lisbon University in 1995, Nelson completed his surgical training at Santa Cruz Hospital, and in 2002 he did his Trauma Fellowship at Rambam Medical Center, Haifa (Israel).  Later he became a Medical Officer with the Portuguese Navy and subsequently Head of the Surgical Department of Lisbon’s naval hospital and Head of the Navy’s Medical Simulation Center. He completed his Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST) in Plymouth (UK).

An Emergency Medicine specialist, Nelson is highly experienced in Pre-Hospital Trauma, War Surgery and Mass Casualty Management (MCM). His current interest is adult learning and mixed reality simulation technology as applied to Mass Casualty Management training.

He is a co-author of several text books, including: “Terror and Medicine – Medical aspects of Biological, Chemical and Radiological Terrorism”; “Management of Limb Injuries During Disaster and Conflicts”; “Basic Emergency Care Manual (WHO)”; “Pikoulis Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Disaster Management – Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma”; “Oxford Specialist Handbook of Global Anaesthesia” and Editor of “Emergency Trauma Response to the Gaza Mass Demonstrations 2018-2019: A One Year Review of Issues, Challenges and Trauma Data”.

Yvonne K. Mburu
External Relations Officer
WHO Academy

Dr. Yvonne Mburu is the Head of Partnerships at the WHO Academy, a newly created center for learning and simulation, which aims to transform lifelong learning in health by incorporating digital and hybrid learning experiences to build a more competent health workforce globally.  

Her academic background is in immunology and immunotherapy, and her research interests span health systems and policy with a particular predilection towards the global circulation of scientific and medical knowledge, and the application of breakthrough digital technologies to accelerate learning and adoption of the latest innovations in medicine, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Dr. Mburu sits on numerous international scientific councils and is frequently consulted on health and science in Africa by the media, think tanks, government authorities and international organizations. She is an advisor to top global leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, on whose Presidential Council for Africa she has sat since August 2017, with a mandate to inform French policy towards Africa. In addition, she is a laureate of the Next Einstein Forum, the Tutu Fellowship, and is a co-founder and Young Leader of the French-African Foundation.

She was named among the « 100 most influential Africans in 2017 » by the magazine New African. She has authored numerous scientific articles, blogs and opinions contributing to the health and science discourse on the African continent.