Sheila Tamara Shawa (Ph.D.) is a Senior Technical and Partnership Specialist at the Africa Union Commission under Health Systems, Diseases and Nutrition in the Directorate of Health and Humanitarian Affairs (HHS). She is the lead for Tuberculosis, Negelcted Tropical Diseases(NTDs) and the Community Health Workers (CHWs) initiative and has been fostering various partnerships to support the advocacy and implementation of health frameworks. Dr Shawa possesses expertise in diseases control programs with over 15 years extensive experience policy formulation and advocacy as well as address other public health concerns. She recently coordinated the development of the Continental framework on NTDs that has helped raise the profile of these conditions and diseases on the Continent.
Dr Shawa was instrumental in the establishment of the Africa CDC as senior project officer where she was responsible for coordinating activities of the Governing Board, Advisory and Technical Council, Regional collaborating centres including in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. She is also responsible for coordinating various technical activities at HQ including the development of the first Africa CDC five year strategic plan. Before moving to Africa CDC she worked under the ADIS, TB Malaria and other infectious disease unit in the department of social affair and was involved in policy development and advocacy. She was part of the core team that developed the Catalytic Framework to End HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030 and also the revision of the Africa Health Strategy (2016-2030).
Dr Shawa seats on the Governing Council of the Zambia Academy of Science and is the Chair for the Committee on Life Science. She is also a Member of the ARISE Technical Advisory Group on NTDs.