Humphrey Fellows Meet NIDA During Campus Visits and Global Leadership Forum

December 5, 2012

Twenty-five Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows from 20 countries met with NIDA International Program Associate Director Dale S. Weiss and U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Officer Brian A. Morales on Monday, October 22, 2012, during the Humphrey Fellowship Program Global Leadership Forum. Acknowledging the broad health, social, economic, and criminal justice impacts of drug use around the world, Ms. Weiss invited attendees to become involved in NIDA opportunities. Mr. Morales described financial and administrative partnerships through the U.S. Department of State Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement that support global drug demand-reduction programs. A 4-day event sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education, the Global Leadership Forum brought nearly 200 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows representing 93 countries to Washington, DC, to learn more about U.S. institutions, Federal agencies, and international organizations. The Humphrey Program brings young and midcareer professionals from eligible countries to the United States for a year of nondegree, graduate-level study at 1 of 18 universities. The fellowship also includes leadership development and professional collaboration with U.S. counterparts.

Earlier in the fall, Ms. Weiss and Fellowships Administrator Ms. Lisa Jordre met with the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to inform them of NIDA activities and research priorities, review NIDA opportunities, and discuss their professional affiliation plans for the coming year.

The NIDA-supported Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at VCU include:

• Sossinou Awoussi (Togo) An ophthalmologist, Dr. Awoussi wants to improve his skills in public health policy and management and develop partnerships with American sight organizations.
• Suzan Ben Ezra, M.S.W. (Israel) Ms. Ben Ezra will focus on special populations such as women, youth, and families; community-based alcohol prevention programs; new treatment and rehabilitation methods; the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes; and the development of coherent drug and alcohol policies.
• Jezelle Charles, M.S. (Trinidad and Tobago) Ms. Charles wants to enhance her knowledge of drug pharmacology and qualitative and quantitative analytical methods so that she can improve procedures in her toxicology laboratory and help create a national clinical toxicology laboratory.
• Claudemir Dos Santos (Brazil) Mr. Dos Santos would like to develop culturally appropriate prevention programs for children and adolescents and to improve his skills in evaluating prevention programs.
• Rosie Myint (Burma [Myanmar]) Ms. Myint would like to improve her monitoring and evaluation skills as they relate to early drug prevention, relapse prevention, and behavioral change communication programs. She also will focus on enhancing community involvement in demand-reduction activities.
• Bola Ola, F.M.C. Psych. (Nigeria) Dr. Ola is interested in drafting and promoting drug abuse policies and programs for primary health care settings.
• Kouame Sedaminou, M.A.S. (Togo) Mr. Sedaminou seeks to enhance his knowledge of drug abuse prevention programs for youth in order to train other teachers as substance abuse advisors.

The 2012–2013 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at JHU include:

• Poongothai Balaji, M.B.B.S., MRCOG (India) An obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Poongothai is interested in prevention programs for both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
• Pavla Dolezalova, Ph.D., (Czech Republic) Dr. Dolezalova wants to learn about evidenced-based research and cost-effective tools to improve the quality of life of drug-addicted people, particularly interventions based on attachment theory.
• Basat Ilter, M.B.A. (Turkey) Mr. Ilter intends to focus on occupational safety and health policy and training programs for employers and employees that promote workers’ safety and health.
• Nang Mo Kham, M.B., M.P.H. (Burma [Myanmar]) Dr. Kham aims to enhance her knowledge and skills in public health policy and management.
• George Leveridge, M.B.B.S., D.M., M.P.H. (Jamaica) A psychiatrist, Dr. Leveridge is interested in public health policy development and its application to violence prevention.
• Heather Susan Ruturi, M.S. (Kenya) Ms. Ruturi will focus on substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, particularly different concepts of client enrollment to care and the chemical and psychosocial management of patients.
• Mariana Salamoun, M.A. (Lebanon) A psychologist, Ms. Salamoun is interested in promoting mental health through evidence-based research and community services, particularly in developing programs to protect youth.
• Arnold Simpreux, M.D. (Haiti) Dr. Simpreux will emphasize HIV/AIDS policy and prevention programs for remote communities in low-income countries and health information systems focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and education.