Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora, the Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and National Influenza Center (NIC) in Bangladesh, has been made the Additional Director General (Planning and Development) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), one of the agencies of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of Bangladesh.

Professor Flora said:

As Director of the IEDCR I had the opportunity to be involved in the important work of the One Health Poultry Hub in Bangladesh and will continue to support the Hub’s efforts to meet the national growing demand for low-cost chicken meat and eggs in a safe and sustainable way.

Over the last few months, Professor Flora has been leading and coordinating, the country’s COVID-19 response and conducting daily press briefings on the crisis.

Within the Hub, her role was to lead on research on human health in Bangladesh.

As Chair of the Coordination Committee for One Health Secretariat in Bangladesh, she was responsible for coordinating the Hub’s One Health activities among government stakeholders. She was also leading on policy guidance and decision making for long-term sustainability and impact of the Hub.

Dr Tahmina Shirin, the new director of the IEDCR, has now taken over these Hub-related responsibilities.