Suleiman Idris Ahmad
Summary
Hardworking Field Epidemiologist with career spearheading outbreak investigations, compiling data and completing reports. Knowledgeable of tracking and containing epidemics. Highly analytical and motivated to impact public health globally.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Field Epidemiologist (FETP)
US-CDC and Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria
04.2024 - 05.2024
- Investigated the outbreak of an unknown disease suspected to be heavy metal poisoning in security fragile and conflict prone Zamfara State, Nigeria
- Supported coordination, surveillance, and case management.
- Streamlined data collection processes by developing efficient survey methods and utilizing advanced statistical software tools.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive public health solutions for disease outbreaks.
- Collaborated with public health officials, contributing to more effective response strategies.
- Streamlined data analysis processes, resulting in faster identification of health trends.
- Assisted local healthcare providers with interpreting surveillance data to improve patient care practices related to infection control measures.
- Advocated for use of evidence-based practices in public health, improving overall disease management strategies.
- Collected and organized data for weekly case summaries.
TEPHINET Consultant/APDC Fellowship Grantee
Abbott Laboratory and TEPHINET
01.2024 - Current
- Serving as the PI for the project: surveillance for infectious causes of death in Sokoto State, Nigeria
- Piloting and establishing a genomic mortality surveillance for malaria, dengue, Lassa fever, other VHFs, and infectious diseases.
- Using next generation sequencing to search for mutated or novel pathogens causing death.
- Streamlined internal processes to enhance team efficiency and improve overall project outcomes.
- Facilitated workshops and training sessions for supporting staff, enhancing their skills and knowledge in key areas.
Katsina State Lead
Strengthening the Polio Programme/VPDs Portfolio Georgetown Global Health Nigeria (GGHN)
07.2023 - 12.2023
- Led a team of over 3000 staff distributed in the communities of 20 security compromised LGAs.
- Planned and executed 3 rounds of polio immunization activities (RI, SIA), surveillance, and training in collaboration with the Polio Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
- Managed a budget of over $200,000 to vaccinate over 500,000 children with oral and injectable polio vaccines and reported 4 confirmed cVPV2 cases
- Supported immunization data analysis, interpretation and reporting
- Worked closely with traditional leaders, security agents, and partners like Chigari, Sultan Foundation, AFENET, UNICEF, and WHO.
Epidemiologist/Public Health Specialist
C19RM, and Nigeria PROTECT - GGHN
01.2023 - 06.2023
- Coordinated Nigeria Preventing Occurrence of Tuberculosis by Expanding Coverage of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy TPT among PLHIV (PROTECT) Project team in Nasarawa state
- Supervised the state team lead and provided support in recruitment and training of the data entry clerks and implementation of the evaluation process of the project
- Developed data collection protocols to ensure accuracy in disease surveillance.
- Supported the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and US-CDC in the design and execution of a COVID-19 national seroprevalence
- Collaborated with stakeholders in NCDC and US-CDC.
Katsina State Lead
Polio Special Intervention - GGHN
09.2022 - 06.2023
- Led a team of over 1200 immunization personnel
- Managed a budget of over $100,000
- Conducted 2 rounds of polio immunization and vaccinated over 200,00 children (2500 zero dose) with nOPV, reported 8 true AFP cases.
- Supported the polio EOC in planning and executing immunization, training, and surveillance activities in settlements of 11 security-compromised LGAs.
- Worked closely with traditional leaders, security agencies, WHO, AFENET, UNICEF, Chigari Foundation, Sultan Foundation, and Ehealth Africa.
Polio Consultant
Solina Group
07.2022 - 08.2022
- Supported Katsina State Polio EOC in planning and coordinating the polio outbreak response by tracking the preparedness for campaigns and ensuring campaign micro plans and budgets were developed on time
- Provided data analytics and data management support
- Supported documentation of polio outbreak response activities by developing weekly and post-campaign reports, documentation, and advocacy materials for engagement with external and internal stakeholders
- Strengthened the capacity of state polio teams through on-the-job training approach and capacity building for SPHCA designated staff.
MEL Consultant-Health Workforce Management
USAID and EWEI
04.2022 - 07.2022
- Collected data against the HWM indicators in a diligent and accurate manner.
- Submitted weekly and monthly reports of all activities
- Used various M and E tools and procedures to provide technical support.
- Evaluated needs and expectations of institutions training healthcare workforce in Sokoto State and established clear goals for each consulting engagement.
- Streamlined internal processes to enhance team efficiency and improve overall project outcomes.
- Delivered high-quality presentations to stakeholders, effectively communicating project objectives and results.
- Analyzed data sets to identify trends and opportunities for process improvements.
National Consultant (Epidemiologist)
Presidential Taskforce for COVID-19 Nigeria
01.2022 - 04.2022
- Led a team of experts to write a full proposal for COVID-19 ramp-up testing in Nigeria which was used to increase testing in 36 Nigerian states by more than 50%.
- Evaluated the molecular laboratories in Adamawa and Taraba State and identified gaps that hindered testing at the maximum capacity
- My team's recommendations guided the Federal Government of Nigeria to upgrade the molecular laboratories to their maximum capacity increasing the COVID-19 testing in the two states by more than 70%.
Global Immunization Division Fellow/Resident MST
US-CDC/AFENET and NSTOP Nigeria
02.2020 - 04.2022
- Supervised National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) eight times in Nigeria
- Responded to polio outbreaks 9 times in Kebbi, Katsina, and Zamfara State
- Contributed to Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) research activities by providing specialist input based on professional expertise, practice, experience, and qualifications.
- Supervised 15 Polio and 1 integrated measles and meningitis immunization
- Supported the pre-implementation and implementation activities in the states
- Provided supportive supervision to the LGA and vaccination teams
- Supported surveillance for AFP and other VPDs and resolved non-compliance
- Provided activity reports to the states of assignment and NSTOP-AFENET
- Analyzed the HIV/TB co-infection data including trend analysis
- Interviewed, consulted, and managed HIV patients in the clinic.
Nigeria Advanced-FETP Resident
US-CDC-AFENET and Nigeria CDC
09.2019 - 09.2023
- Cholera outbreak - National Rapid Response Team - August 2021:
- Supported surveillance and case management.
- Conducted a case-control study, Infection Prevention and Control Assessment of health workers, and data quality checks of IDSR and SORMAS data.
- Investigated the cholera outbreak in 28 LGAs.
- Led the research pillar and produced 2 published outputs.
- COVID-19 outbreak - National Rapid Response Team - April to September 2020:
- Deployed in 3 national responses in 2 states.
- Assessed the readiness of Katsina state to respond to COVID-19 outbreak.
- Investigated the outbreak including coordination of contact tracing.
- Conducted Infection Prevention and Control training of 120 health workers across two states.
- Facilitated SORMAS training for surveillance officers
- Research: Conducted a secondary data analysis of data from SORMAS
- Data management: data analysis, generation of daily situation reports.
- Pertussis outbreak - Katsina State Rapid Response Team - Mar 2020:
- Supported surveillance and data analysis
- Led the immunization of children with pentavalent vaccine
- Led an outreach to treat symptomatic cases
- Lassa Fever outbreak - National Rapid Response Team - Feb to Apr 2020:
- Investigated the outbreak using epidemiological techniques
- Successfully limited the outbreak to 2 settlements
- Laboratory: sample collection and transport
- Infection Prevention and Control training - over 200 hospital staff in two LGAs
- Data management: analysis, and planning including generation of daily situation reports and dissemination to all stakeholders.
- Measles and Meningitis outbreak - National Team - Nov 2019:
- Coordinated and supervised vaccination teams
- Supported surveillance and data management
- Engaged with stakeholders in the community to resolve non-compliance.
Medical Officer
Zamfara State Hospital Services Gusau, Nigeria
06.2016 - 09.2019
- Improved patient outcomes and delivery of care through improved clinical quality processes.
- Consulted and provided emergency treatment for pediatric patients
- Coordinated pediatric emergency department and patient flow
- Reviewed complex cases alongside colleagues during peer consultations to develop consensus on appropriate courses of action for challenging scenarios.
- Introduced and sustained emergency box and oxygen therapy policy - reduced 24hr mortality of admitted children by more than 80%
- Assisted senior physicians and surgeons during assessments, examinations and surgical interventions.
- Counseled parents on immunization of children
- Mentored junior medical staff members through hands-on training sessions, reinforcing key concepts and guiding their professional growth.
- Responded to measles and meningitis outbreaks as a case manager
- Trained nursing, midwifery, and health information technology students.
- Streamlined documentation processes, ensuring accurate, timely, and comprehensive medical records for improved continuity of care.
Clinical Attache
West Middlesex University Hospital, London
06.2018 - 09.2018
- Had clinical rotations in emergency and surgery department
- Managed various emergencies and assisted emergency procedures
- Assisted surgical procedures, peer learning, clinical meetings, and audit.
Medical Officer
Nigeria Airforce Base Hospital (Mando and Ikeja)
02.2016 - 04.2018
- Spent 2 years with the Nigerian Airforce
- Had one year internship in Ikeja, Lagos and 1 year National Youth Service in Mando, Kaduna.
- Had clinical rotations in surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
- Management of HIV and TB cases including counseling
- Performed regular routine mass medical screening for over 10,000 recruits
- Trained nursing and health information students.
- Streamlined documentation processes, ensuring accurate, timely, and comprehensive medical records for improved continuity of care.
Health Superintendent
Ministry of Health, Zamfara State
08.2013 - 01.2016
- Performed electronic data entry and interviews and immunization.
Education
Ph.D. - Public Health
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
Sokoto, Nigeria12.2026
Masters in International Affairs And Diplomacy - International Affairs
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Nigeria12.2023
MPH Field Epidemiology - Field Epidemiology
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Nigeria09.2023
Genetics - HMX Fundamentals -
Harvard Medical School
01.2022
Project Management, Fundamentals of Global Health Research, Leadership and Management in Health -
University of Washington
01.2021
Medical Bachelor and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) - Medicine And Surgery
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
Sokoto, Nigeria10.2015
Skills
- Team Leadership & Development
- Decision-Making
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Research and Development
- Attention to Detail
- Problem-Solving
- Analytical Thinking
- Data Analytics
- Process Improvement
- Continuous Improvement
- Reporting capabilities
Affiliations
- Member - Nigerian Medical Association since 2015
- Member - Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene since 2022
- International Practitioner - Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK since 2024
Languages
English
Advanced (C1)
Hausa
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
French
Intermediate (B1)
Arabic
Intermediate (B1)
Presentations
- Predictors of hepatitis B vaccine uptake among healthcare workers in Sokoto state, Nigeria, 2023, World Hepatitis Summit 2024, Lisbon, Portugal
- Cholera Outbreak Investigation in Adamawa State, Nigeria 2021: An Unmatched Case-Control Study, 11th TEPHINET G. Conference 2022, Panama, US
- A descriptive epidemiology of cholera outbreak in katsina state, nigeria, 2021, IMED-ISID Conference 2021, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Characteristics of COVID-19 cases and factors associated with their mortality in Katsina State, Nigeria, April-July 2020, NiCAFE 2021, Abuja, Nigeria
- Viral suppression among HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy in northwestern Nigeria: an eleven-year review of tertiary care centre records, January 2009-December 2019, NiCAFE 2021, Abuja, Nigeria
Awards
- Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition Fellowship 2024 ~ $25,000
- Federal Ministry of Health FETP Scholarship 2019 ~ $50,000
- Federal Scholarship Usmanu Danfodiyo University 2010 ~ $3,000
- Zamfara State Undergraduate Scholarship 2009 ~ $15,000
- Full Federal Scholarship - FGA Suleja ~ $25,000
Degrees
- MBBS
- MPH (Field Epidemiology)
Publications
- COVID-19 vaccine uptake and acceptability during the second phase of vaccine rollout: a community-based survey among household heads in Zamfara state, Nigeria, 2021, BMJ Open, bmjopen-2023083470, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.14.23299963v1
- Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and associated factors among healthcare workers in Katsina state: a cross-sectional study in Northwest Nigeria, BMJ Open, 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063281
- A descriptive epidemiology of cholera outbreak in katsina state, nigeria, 2021, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 116, S82, 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.194
- Characteristics of COVID-19 cases and factors associated with their mortality in Katsina State, Nigeria, April-July 2020, JIEPH, 10.11604/JIEPH.SUPP.2021.4.2.1134
- Viral suppression among HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy in northwestern Nigeria: an eleven-year review of tertiary care centre records, January 2009-December 2019, BMC Infectious Diseases, 21, 1, 1-8, 10.1186/s12879-021-06722-3
Training
- Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition Fellowship, 2024
- Nigeria Field Epidemiology Training Program, 2019 - 2023
- CDC/AFENET Global Immunization Division (GID) Fellowship, 2020-2021
- Data Analysis with R - the GRAPH Net. & Uni. of Geneva, 2023
- Basic Molecular Biology - US-CDC, 2023
- Geospatial Analysis Data - Nigeria CDC, 2023
- Introduction to R Certificate - Applied Epi, 2022
- GOARN/WHO Tier 1 and Tier 1.5 Training, 2022
- Data Analysis Training - STATA Academy, 2021
- NSTOP Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Short Course, 2020
Volunteer Experience
- Free sickle cell clinic consultations at Nigeria Airforce Hospital, Kaduna
- Coordination of data abstraction in TB/HIV Clinic, Katsina
- Peer Reviewed 6 published manuscripts for The Lancet Journal
- Epicore Member - Verified 5 outbreaks/events in Nigeria
- World Medical Association - JDN publications team 2018 - 2022
Timeline
Field Epidemiologist (FETP)
US-CDC and Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria
04.2024 - 05.2024
TEPHINET Consultant/APDC Fellowship Grantee
Abbott Laboratory and TEPHINET
01.2024 - Current
Katsina State Lead
Strengthening the Polio Programme/VPDs Portfolio Georgetown Global Health Nigeria (GGHN)
07.2023 - 12.2023
Epidemiologist/Public Health Specialist
C19RM, and Nigeria PROTECT - GGHN
01.2023 - 06.2023
Katsina State Lead
Polio Special Intervention - GGHN
09.2022 - 06.2023
Polio Consultant
Solina Group
07.2022 - 08.2022
MEL Consultant-Health Workforce Management
USAID and EWEI
04.2022 - 07.2022
National Consultant (Epidemiologist)
Presidential Taskforce for COVID-19 Nigeria
01.2022 - 04.2022
Global Immunization Division Fellow/Resident MST
US-CDC/AFENET and NSTOP Nigeria
02.2020 - 04.2022
Nigeria Advanced-FETP Resident
US-CDC-AFENET and Nigeria CDC
09.2019 - 09.2023
Clinical Attache
West Middlesex University Hospital, London
06.2018 - 09.2018
Medical Officer
Zamfara State Hospital Services Gusau, Nigeria
06.2016 - 09.2019
Medical Officer
Nigeria Airforce Base Hospital (Mando and Ikeja)
02.2016 - 04.2018
Health Superintendent
Ministry of Health, Zamfara State
08.2013 - 01.2016
Ph.D. - Public Health
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
Masters in International Affairs And Diplomacy - International Affairs
Ahmadu Bello University
MPH Field Epidemiology - Field Epidemiology
Ahmadu Bello University
Genetics - HMX Fundamentals -
Harvard Medical School
Project Management, Fundamentals of Global Health Research, Leadership and Management in Health -
University of Washington
Medical Bachelor and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) - Medicine And Surgery
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
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