About me
I am a passionate Global Midwifery Expert and have been working as an Assistant Professor at the University of Gondar (UoG), Ethiopia since 2008. I did my Ph.D. in midwifery and women's health at the UoG in Ethiopia in collaboration with the Karolinska Institute(KI) in Sweden in 2021/22, making me the first Ethiopian midwife to earn a Ph.D. in Midwifery.
My carrier as a midwife, academic, and researcher spans nearly 14 years. I have mentored more than 20 master's students in clinical midwifery and currently co-supervising four Ph.D. students in Ethiopia and Canada. Currently, I am head of the Department of Women and Family Health and the contact person for collaboration between UoG and KI
Research description
My research interest is Midwife-led implementation research focusing on Maternal and Child Health interventions, such as antenatal care, family planning, and comprehensive abortion care. I published more than 25 journal articles, two policy briefs, five manuscripts under review, and 16 scientific presentations. As lead researcher, I have received external/international grants (4) from international funders such as the International Confederation of Midwives Johnson & Johnson, and the Laerdal Foundation
In terms of research and collaborative experiences, I worked with transnational researchers from low- and high-income counties such as Sweden, Kenya, Malawi, and Somalia. For example, recently I was a team member and coordinator of the MIDWIZE capacity-building training program for public health officials at KI, which was supported by the Swedish Institute in 2020/21. I am still active as an alumnus and representing the program that runs under the umbrella of CESH initiated by Makerere University and the KI. Furthermore, I am working as a researcher at the International Confederation of Midwives African Regional Professional Committee.
Teaching portfolio
I teach professional and research courses such as contemporary issues of midwifery and women’s health, family planning, obstetrics, and qualitative research methodology for masters and Ph.D. students.
Academic honours, awards and prizes
2020: Recognized as “midwife hero 2020” by the Ethiopian Midwives Association and St. Paul's Hospital Millennium-SPHMMC for my contributions to safe motherhood services in Ethiopia.
2015: Award winner of one of the best research presenters at the national workshop organized by AMREEF Health Africa