Executive Committee

Our Leadership

The Executive Committee (EC) is the governing body of COMS-A, responsible for leading and executing the functions of the Consortium. The EC comprises dedicated individuals who bring a wealth of experience and leadership from across the African continent. The committee includes the President, Vice-President, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary General, Treasurer, and the Chairs of the six standing committees. To ensure broad representation, members of the EC are from different countries, and the Standing Committee Chairs represent each of the five African regions.

Meet the dedicated leaders
who guide COMS-A

For any inquiries, please contact us via the Secretariat’s official email address.

Prof. Lionel Green-Thompson

President, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Prof. Lionel Green-Thompson

President, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Prof Lionel Green-Thompson serves as Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, from March 2020. Previously as Dean: School of Medicine at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (2018 – 2020) and Assistant Dean: Teaching, Learning and Undergraduate Affairs (2014 – 2018) at Wits University. He is co-author of the ASSAf Consensus Report: Reconceptualising health professions education in South Africa. Prof. Green-Thompson is a specialist anaesthesiologist and completed a PhD in 2014 entitled: The nature of social accountability in South African medical education and practice. He also served as the Chairperson of the SA Committee of Medical Deans (SACOMD:2022 -2023). Currently he is co-chairing a National Steering Committee with the College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) on development of workplace-based assessments for specialist medical education. He is interested in assessment of clinical competency, professional identity formation, transformative education and social accountability. A long time councillor, he was national co-chairperson of SAAHE for the 2010 to 2013 triennium and co-chaired the national conference held at Wits in 2010 titled “Making Education Matter”. Other affiliations include serving on the board of the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) and Towards Unity for Health (TUFH). He is currently the Vice Secretary General for TUFH in the term 2023 – 2027. He is a member of AMEE and serves on the AMEE Research Committee, currently chairing the Network for Medical Education in Resource Constrained Environments (MERCS). Co-chairs the International Social Accountability Accreditation Steering Committee (ISAAC) which explores accreditation using a lens of social accountability.

Prof. Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh

Vice President & Chair, Audit and Compliance Committee, University of Ghana, Ghana

Prof. Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh

Vice President & Chair, Audit and Compliance Committee, University of Ghana, Ghana

Prof. Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh has over 25 years of experience in medical practice. She currently serves as the Acting Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School and is an Associate Professor of Haematology. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the College of Health Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, and completed her specialist postgraduate training in Laboratory Medicine (with a focus on Haematology) at the West African College of Physicians. Her professional and academic achievements include a UNDP Fellowship for training at the Haematological Diagnostic Centre in Leeds, United Kingdom, and the VIRDE (Vanderbilt Institute of Research Development and Ethics) Doris Duke Fellowship in Nashville, USA. Prof. Dei-Adomakoh is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians and a member of several professional organizations, including the Ghana Medical Association, the American Society of Haematology, and the Ghana Society of Haematology. She actively contributes to the medical field through her service on numerous boards and committees within the Medical School, the College of Health Sciences, and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Additionally, she is a founding executive member of the Leukaemia Project Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting patients with blood cancers and sickle cell disease. As a principal investigator, Prof. Dei-Adomakoh leads multiple clinical trials, including the Novartis STAND and PIVOT sickle cell disease trials, as well as the NIH-funded BLOODSAFE trial. Her research interests focus on the management of sickle cell disease and ensuring safe blood transfusion practices.

Prof. Abebe Bekele

Secretary General & Chair, Advocacy and Partnerships Committee, University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda

Prof. Abebe Bekele

Secretary General & Chair, Advocacy and Partnerships Committee, University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda

Prof Abebe Bekele is Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic and Research Affairs and the Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE). He is a Professor of Surgery, (General and Thoracic surgeon) and has served as CEO of the Black Lion teaching Hospital and Dean of the School of Medicine of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. He also has full professor faculty positions at the Addis Ababa University and the University of Rwanda. He has received additional fellowship in Medical Education from FAIMER and Simulation Based Education from the University of Washington. He has vast experience in surgical education, academic leadership, and governance and served as guest lecturer, international speaker, and external examiner in Ethiopia, Africa, Europe, and North America. His clinical surgical expertise includes oncology surgery, thoracic surgery, esophageal surgery, and trauma. Prof. Abebe is a member of the Governing Council and Chairman of the Examinations and Credentials Committee at the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and Editor-in Chief of the East and Central Africa Journal of Surgery. He has published more than 90 articles and book chapters and is a recipient of several regional and international awards and recognitions and is a member of the editorial board of the JAMA health forum and the Ethiopian Medical Journal. He also serves as a member of the advisory council to the Ethiopian ministry of sciences and higher education. Prof. Abebe is actively engaged in Global Safe Surgery and Anesthesia Initiatives and has served as a senior advisor to the Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopia in the Saving Lives Through Safe Surgery (SaLTS) initiative. He has participated in and led numerous panels in medical education and global surgery and is passionate about equitable access to surgical care, care, gender equity in global surgery and surgical education. His research interests include equity in global surgery, trauma care, surgical oncology, medical education, and quality health care.

Dr. Salma Abdi Mahmoud

Deputy Secretary General, The State University of Zanzibar

Dr. Salma Abdi Mahmoud

Deputy Secretary General, The State University of Zanzibar

Dr. Salma Abdi Mahmoud is a Medical Doctor specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, with a sub-specialty in lymphatic tumor metastasis. She completed her MD degree (Medical Doctor) in 2007 and, in 2014, earned a Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Mmed in Obs & Gyn). She later obtained her PhD in Medical Sciences, specializing in Lymphatic Tumor Metastasis, from Dalian Medical University, China, in 2017. Currently, Dr. Salma is an employee of The State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), where she actively engages in research, teaching, outreach services, and consultancy at Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital. In recognition of her leadership and academic contributions, she was appointed Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences at SUZA in December 2022, a position she continues to hold to date.

Prof. Angela Frank-Briggs

Treasurer & Chair, Finance Committee, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Prof. Angela Frank-Briggs

Treasurer & Chair, Finance Committee, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Prof. Angela Frank-Briggs is presently the Provost of College of Health Sciences at the University of Port Harcourt, which comprises five Faculties and thirty Departments. She is a highly organized and results-driven administrator with over twenty years of experience managing and coordinating training programs for professionals across various industries. She is a Medical Doctor and a Professor of Paediatric Neurology. She has been head of department in the prestigious University of Port Harcourt, and in the Department of Paediatrics at the University Teaching hospital Nigeria. She has been the Director of Centre for Children with Disability and Communication Disorder. She is a product of Haggai International Institute for Advanced Leadership Training, Maui, USA. She is adept at developing, implementing, and overseeing comprehensive training initiatives that enhance skills, performance, and compliance. She has a strong background in identifying training needs, creating educational materials, and evaluating training effectiveness to ensure continuous professional growth. Additionally, she has proven ability to collaborate with department heads and subject matter experts to design customized training solutions, track progress, and ensure the successful on boarding and upskilling of professionals. She has been a facilitator in training programs and has skills in scheduling, resource management, and providing clear communication to facilitate smooth training processes. Prof. Frank-Briggs is passionate about fostering a culture of learning and development, seeking to contribute expertise in a training administrator role to improve workforce capabilities and organizational success.

Prof. Lukoye Atwoli

Chair, Leadership & Professional Development Committee, Aga Khan University, Kenya

Prof. Lukoye Atwoli

Chair, Leadership & Professional Development Committee, Aga Khan University, Kenya

Prof. Lukoye Atwoli is a leading Psychiatrist, currently serving as the Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College in East Africa, the Deputy Director of the Brain and Mind Institute, AKU, and a practicing Psychiatrist at the university’s hospital in Nairobi. He has an extensive academic background, including a PhD from the University of Cape Town, focusing on trauma and PTSD in South Africa. As a member of the World Mental Health Surveys Consortium, Prof. Atwoli is widely published, with research interests in trauma, PTSD, genetics of mental disorders, children and youth mental health, as well as HIV-related mental health. Prof. Atwoli holds key leadership roles including President of the African College of Neuropsychopharmacology (AfCNP), Secretary-General of the African Association of Psychiatrists (AAP), Chairperson of the Board of the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kenya, and co- Chair of the Board on Global Health of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. As a strong mental health advocate, he has influenced policies both in Kenya and internationally, earning him honors such as the International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (IFAPA), the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S), and election to the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM). As a member of the World Mental Health Surveys Consortium, Prof. Atwoli is widely published, with research interests in trauma, PTSD, genetics of mental disorders, children and youth mental health, as well as HIV-related mental health. Prof. Atwoli holds key leadership roles including President of the African College of Neuropsychopharmacology (AfCNP), Secretary-General of the African Association of Psychiatrists (AAP), Chairperson of the Board of the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kenya, and co- Chair of the Board on Global Health of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. As a strong mental health advocate, he has influenced policies both in Kenya and internationally, earning him honors such as the International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (IFAPA), the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S), and election to the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

Prof. Titus Ibekwe

Chair, Research and Innovations Committee, University of Abuja, Nigeria

Prof. Titus Ibekwe

Chair, Research and Innovations Committee, University of Abuja, Nigeria

Prof. Titus Ibekwe currently serves as the Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Abuja. He is a renowned Professor of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Abuja, where he was appointed Professor in 2015. He is also a trained Public Health professional with a specialization in Health Policy and Management, holding an MPH-HPM from the University of Ibadan. His academic credentials include an MB,BS from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), an MD, and multiple fellowships in Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery., now Yakubu Gowon University. Prof. Ibekwe is also the Secretary-General of the Association of Provosts of Colleges of Medicine in Nigeria, Chair of the International Advisory Board of the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, and Chair of Research and Innovation for the Consortium of Medical Schools in Africa (COMS-A). His past leadership roles include serving as Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the FCT, the 1st National Vice President of the NMA, and board memberships with the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and the Court of Governors at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. Prof. Ibekwe’s research interests span preventable hearing loss, health policy and management, and head and neck cancers. A motivational speaker, life coach, and distinguished leader, he has made impactful contributions at local, national, and international levels. He has authored over 100 publications in indexed journals and made more than 250 media appearances focused on health education. He has successfully managed research grants and delivered the 44th inaugural lecture at the University of Abuja. Under his leadership as Provost, the College of Health Sciences has expanded its student training quota from 75 to 200, as approved by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Prof. Simeon Pierre Choukem

Chair, Education and Curriculum Committee, University of Dschang, Cameroon

Prof. Simeon Pierre Choukem

Chair, Education and Curriculum Committee, University of Dschang, Cameroon

Prof. Simeon Pierre CHOUKEM is the Pioneer Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Dschang since 2018. He is a Professor of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Consultant Physician at the Douala General Hospital, Fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Science and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London). Prof. Choukem graduated as Doctor of Medicine in 1998 in Cameroon. He did his specialist training in Internal Medicine in Cameroon (2000-2004) and in Endocrinology and Metabolism in Paris (2004-2006). He worked as a clinical fellow and lecturer (Saint-Louis Hospital and University of Paris 7 Medical School) and research fellow (National Institute of Health and Medical Research, INSERM, Paris). He also attended the Robert Turner Course in 2007 in Oxford. After his return to Cameroon in early 2009, he was posted in the Douala General Hospital and in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea. In April 2013 he became Professor of Medicine upon his success in the French professor of Medicine competitive examination in Paris (PU-PH). Prof Choukem is a recipient of many other international Fellowships and awards: the Raymond Berger Award for Diabetes 2008 (Switzerland), the Albert Renolds Fellowship 2012 by the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes to spend two months at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM), University of Oxford, UK; the IAS-Benjamin Meaker visiting Professorship, University of Bristol, UK in 2014; and the Sir George Alberti Award for Diabetes in 2017 (Africa). He has held numerous other leadership positions; amongst others, Member of the board of Trustees of the Francophone Diabetes Society (2009-2013 and 2017-2021), founding-member and faculty of the “Diabetes Academy Africa (D2A)” (a programme founded in September 2015, to intensively train the next generation of African leaders in diabetes prevention, care and research), Chair of the University of Dschang Taskforce for the Elimination of Covid-19 (UNITED#COVID-19) 2020-2023. Professor Choukem was appointed expert of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Diabetes 2022/2023. He is also a past-academic Editor of the Journal PLoS One. In 2023 he was elected President of the Cameroon Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition; and in 2025, he was elected Chair of the Education and Curriculum Committee of the Consortium of Medical Schools- Africa (COMS-A) He also holds and Executive-Master of Business Administration (MBA) since 2019 and is a guest speaker in the field of Personal Development and Leadership (Mental Programming, Emotional Intelligence, Critical Thinking…etc.).

The Consortium of Medical Schools - Africa

Consórcio das Escolas de Medicina – África

Consortium des Écoles de Médecine – Afrique

ائتلاف كليات الطب – أفريقيا