Ghaya Alwahdanee MSc
Vice President of the Board of Directors
Country: Jordan
Ghaya Abdellatif Alwahdanee is an accomplished international consultant specializing in accreditation and biorisk management. With extensive experience spanning various national and international projects, she has contributed her expertise to esteemed organizations such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Center for Global Health and Development, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health, and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health. During her tenure as the head of the education and quality management department at the Ministry of Health – Laboratory Directorate/Central Public Health Laboratory, Ghaya spearheaded biorisk management initiatives. Her responsibilities included leading biorisk management training programs, conducting biosecurity training, and developing policies and guidelines. She actively engaged with topics aligned with the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and International Health Regulations (IHR). Designated as the Biosafety Officer by the World Health Organization and representing Jordan in biorisk management activities at the WHO headquarters, Ghaya played a pivotal role in advocating for biorisk management efforts in the MENA region. Her contributions were further recognized through her participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for global health security leaders. Ghaya's commitment to enhancing biorisk management extends to her role as a certified WHO trainer, having conducted over 100 training workshops across human, animal, and environmental sectors, emphasizing the importance of the one health concept. Her achievements include securing a "Preventing Emerging and Re-emerging Infections" funding which facilitated the development of National Biorisk Guidelines for Jordan. She also established national biorisk management protocols in collaboration with stakeholders. Additionally, Ghaya has been actively involved in biorisk management activities throughout the MENA region, serving as the focal point for biorisk in Jordan within the MENA network. She has contributed to international and MENA twinning projects in biosafety and biosecurity. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghaya played a critical role in supporting laboratory capacity for COVID testing while ensuring adherence to strict quality and biorisk management protocols. She represented the Ministry of Health in meetings supporting Threat Reduction Agency Programs with the Jordanian Armed Forces, demonstrating her dedication to enhancing biosecurity measures across sectors.