A senior public health executive and One Health advocate from Cameroon, Elisabeth Dibongue brings a broad experience in global health governance, multisectoral coordination, emergency management, and public health leadership.
Elisabeth Betsi Noma Dibongue has taken office on April 1st, 2026. Prior to this appointment, Elisabeth served as Deputy Permanent Secretary of Cameroon’s National One Health Platform under the Prime Minister’s Office, where she played a central role in bridging policy, operational systems, and scientific collaboration to prevent, detect, and control zoonotic and emerging health threats.
Her work has focused on strengthening national One Health systems, including governance and regulatory frameworks, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, and the operationalization of multisectoral coordination across human, animal, wildlife, and environmental health sectors. She has led and contributed to the development of national strategies aligned with global frameworks, notably the Quadripartite One Health Joint Plan of Action.
Elisabeth has extensive expertise in public health emergency management and preparedness. She contributed to the design and operationalization of Cameroon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC), national Incident Management Systems, and multi-hazard preparedness strategies. She has led national and subnational risk assessments (THIRA, Joint Risk Assessments), coordinated simulation exercises, and held key leadership roles during major health emergencies, including COVID-19 and Mpox.
Within the One Health domain, she has coordinated major multisectoral initiatives, including zoonotic disease prioritization, rabies elimination strategies, and the strengthening of integrated surveillance systems. She also led the implementation of the One Health Data Alliance Africa (OHDAA) project in Cameroon, supporting the development and institutionalization of the Collaborative One Health Information System (COHIS) to enhance data integration, risk analysis, and evidence-based decision-making across sectors.
Elisabeth holds a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master’s in History of International Relations, and a Diploma in Public Health Administration. She is an alumna of the CDC Atlanta Public Health Emergency Management Fellowship and the International Program in Public Health Leadership at the University of Washington.
Beyond her institutional responsibilities, Elisabeth is actively engaged in scientific communication, advocacy, and capacity building. She is a strong advocate for gender equity and inclusive leadership in global health and is a member of Women in Global Health and founder of the Women in One Health and Sustainable Development Initiative (WOHSDI).