Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), in partnership with the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) and The Carter Centre, has successfully concluded the seventh edition of its flagship Disease Elimination & Eradication Course (DEEC) at UGHE’s Butaro Campus in Rwanda.
The latest cohort convened 32 leading public health professionals from seven countries (Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania), spanning government bodies, academic institutions and frontline implementation agencies.
The programme launched with a virtual learning module from 27th July to 27th August 2026, culminating in an in-person portion from 31st August to 8th September 2026.
Designed to accelerate progress toward disease elimination and eradication, DEEC equips decision-makers with essential public health frameworks, core operational tools and the strategic leadership capabilities required to turn policy into practice.
The curriculum emphasises tailored, actionable strategies designed to address country-specific health systems and local epidemiological challenges.
During the initial online phase, participants mastered foundational concepts in systems thinking, behavioural science, human-centreed design and health economics and financing.
Country-specific teams identified a target public health challenge within their borders, using it as a central case study throughout the programme.
The subsequent in-person portion built upon these foundations through expert lectures, interactive workshops, collaborative strategy sessions and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.
Participants evaluated international success stories, examined real-world policy implementations and explored cutting-edge approaches — including artificial intelligence — to boost elimination efforts.
The course also featured insights from an expert panel, site visits to Rwandan healthcare facilities — including Zipline’s innovative drone-based medical delivery operations — and dedicated forums on community engagement and institutional accountability.
The course concluded with strategic presentations where country teams unveiled comprehensive, actionable roadmaps tailored to their local health challenges. An expert advisory panel delivered constructive feedback, enabling participants to refine their strategic frameworks for seamless real-world adoption.
Through this multidisciplinary approach, participants strengthened their technical competencies in elimination frameworks, dynamic systems thinking and cross-sector leadership, while expanding a global network of public health practice.
Initially launched in partnership with NYU (New York) in 2022 and 2023, DEEC was updated in 2024 alongside The Carter Centre, expanding its reach through partnerships with the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana and UGHE in Rwanda.
Initially held in Abu Dhabi in 2022 and 2023, DEEC broadened its reach in 2024 through collaboration with The Carter Centre and partnerships with the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana and UGHE in Rwanda.
UGHE and The Carter Centre have since remained key partners in the programme’s continued delivery and development. To date, the programme has trained 217 public health leaders across 38 countries.
Earlier in 2026, GLIDE collaborated with Khalifa University of Science and Technology to host the inaugural MENA edition of DEEC in Abu Dhabi, tailoring the curriculum to the region's unique public health priorities.
