The Global Health Speaker Series Presents:
Cancer Education, Prevention, and Care in Ethiopia: Bidirectional Learning and Global Health Partnership for Collaborative Action
With Co-Presenters
Breanne Lott, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Epidemiology & Population Health
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Biniyam Tefera Deressa, MD
Assistant Professor
Adama Hospital Medical College
Reflecting on years of partnership, Drs. Breanne Lott and Biniyam Tefera Deressa will share how they are collaboratively working to address one of the greatest global health challenges this century: cancer inequity. With complementary skillsets in public health and clinical care, they have teamed up to conduct research, improve cancer services and data collection systems, and design and implement new & innovative health interventions in Ethiopia since 2019. Foci of their projects span cervical, breast, esophageal, and other cancers, as well as broader issues and initiatives such as developing a cancer registry. This year, they were jointly awarded, together with Dr. Purnima Madhivanan, an American Association for Cancer Education grant for a breast cancer project that, to date, has trained more than 50 health professionals, launched a far-reaching mass media awareness campaign, screened more than 500 individuals for breast cancer, and elevated the voices of survivors for advocacy and engagement with local, regional, and national stakeholders and policymakers. Additionally, they are evaluating the impact of a first-of-its-kind psychosocial support group on the quality of life for breast cancer patients and survivors, for which Dr. Biniyam has been awarded a Global Health Equity Scholar Fellowship.
Drawing from these concrete examples, the pair will discuss practices they’ve fostered for a mutually beneficial global health relationship including their approach to peer mentorship, bidirectional learning, and capacity building. They will also share practical tips on how partners from high-income and low-income country contexts can leverage their strengths such as access to funding, patient populations, and diverse global networks.
In collaboration with Global Health programs, the Global Health Speaker Series presents students, alumni, faculty and guest speakers showcasing the multidisciplinary aspects of global health work and research.
