Dr Yoshihiro Takashima is currently working as a guest professor at the Osaka University, visiting professor at the Hiroshima University, and visiting researcher at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. He graduated from Osaka University (MD, 1991), Harvard University (MPH, 1997) and the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine (PhD, 1999). He worked as surgeon at the Kobe City General Hospital and local hospitals in Japan (1991-1996) and as a medical officer at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (1997-2000). In 2000, he began his career with the WHO as Regional Coordinator for the WHO's Emergency and Humanitarian Action programme for the Western Pacific (2000-2003) and as a medical officer of WHO China, responsible for measles elimination, accelerated hepatitis B control and immunization safety (2003-2009). In 2009-2018, he worked with the WHO’s EPI in the WPR as responsible officer for immunization system strengthening; measles and rubella elimination; the group lead for accelerated diseases control; and acting EPI Coordinator. In 2018-2023, he lead the WHO’s programme on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization in the WPR as Coordinator for 1) sustaining polio eradication; 2) achieving and sustaining measles and rubella elimination; 3) accelerating hepatitis B control; 4) developing and implementing the WP Regional Strategic Framework for VPDs and Immunization in 2021-2030; and 5) planning and implementing COVID-19 vaccination response.
David N. Durrheim, AM, is the Director of Health Protection at Hunter New England Health, New South Wales, Australia; Conjoint Professor of Public Health Medicine at the University of Newcastle, Australia; and Adjunct Professor of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University, Queensland, Australia. He currently chairs the Western Pacific Regional Measles Rubella Verification Commission and has been a member of multiple World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) working groups. He has an established track record of conducting public health research that has an operational focus and is translational. He has been instrumental in developing novel surveillance systems to detect and facilitate responses to emerging infectious disease risks. He is an outspoken advocate for equitable global access to effective public health measures, particularly immunization. He believes that no child should die of measles or be disabled by rubella.
