Biography
Professor Miriam Were
Miriam Were is a member of the Global Health Workforce Alliance
Her career path includes working for the University of Nairobi Faculty of Medicine, the Ministry of Health in Kenya, UNICEF as Chief of Health and Nutrition in the Ethiopia, Representative of the World Health Organisation in Ethiopia and Director of the UNFPA for the Technical Advisory Team (Country Support Team) for East, Central and Anglophone West Africa from which she retired in 2000. Since retirement, Miriam Were has continued to be professionally involved in the Health sector. At the core of her professional life has been improvement of MCH Services for all. In Africa where the majority of mothers and children live in communities, she chose the Community-Based Health Care focus which she has maintained to date.
Since 2000, Prof. Were has been a member of various high-level groups, including UNDP-based Global Commission on HIV & the Law (2009 - to date); Champions for HIV-Free Generation (2008 - to date) chaired by the former president of Botswana and consisting mostly of former Heads of State; the International Award Committee of Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Award Foundation (2008 - to date); African Medical & Research Foundation (Chair, 2003 - 2009); the Kenya National AIDS Control Council (Chair by Presidential appointment, 2003 - 2009); UZIMA Foundation (Trustee and Co-Founder, 1995 - to date); Kenya Medical Women’s Association (of which she was Founder Chairman in 1983); Board of Directors of MAP International Board in Georgia US (2003 - 2011); Kenya’s Community Health Strategy (Advisor / Consultant, 2010 - to date).
Miriam Were obtained her degree in Medicine from the University of Nairobi, MPH & the Dr PH from the Johns Hopkins University. She received a number of prestigious honours, including The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize by Japan (2008) for work on expansion of medical services for Mothers and Children; The Queen Elizabeth II Gold Medal for Outstanding Contributions to International Public Health; Knight in the Legion of Honour in the French National Order for distinguished service in health and development in Africa with particular emphasis on mothers children and youth as well as Community Health Strategy Goodwill Ambassador, Kenya (2011). She has been awarded honorary doctorates by Universities in Kenya.