Senait Fisseha

Senait Fisseha (born 1971) is an Ethiopian academic at University of Michigan working with reproductive endocrinology and infertility and director of international programs at the Susan Buffet Foundation.[3] Fisseha has a J.D. degree and is known for her work as an advocate for global reproductive health, rights and gender equality. She is the founder of the Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT) at the University of Michigan.[3] She chaired the election campaign of Tedros Adhanom, the first African Director General of the World Health Organization, in 2016-17.

This article is about a person whose name ends in a patronymic rather than a family name. The article properly refers to the person by her given name, Senait, and not as Fisseha.
Senait Fisseha
Born1971 (age 48–49)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia[1]
Board member ofFounder, Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT)[2]
Academic work
DisciplineReproductive endocrinology and infertility

Early life and education

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1971,[1] Fisseha was the third youngest of ten siblings.[4] Unlike her older siblings who were interested in engineering and physics, Senait demonstrated a passion for medicine from a very young age.[4]

After completing high school, Fisseha briefly studied at Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion Medical School) in Addis Ababa.[5] In 1989, she traveled to the United States, enrolled at Rosary College (now Dominican University), and earned a Bachelor of Science degree.[3] Subsequently, she received Howard Hughes Medical Institute funding to pursue research at the University of Michigan.[4] While at the University of Michigan, Senait developed new interests in the field of medical malpractice, specifically in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology.[6] This, combined with an interest in international women's health and women's rights, led to pursuit of a joint Juris Doctor (J.D.)/Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program.[6] Senait earned a J.D./M.D. degree from Southern Illinois University in 1999 with honors, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society.[1] She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynaecology in 2003, and a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility in 2006, at the University of Michigan medical center.[3]

Career

Fisseha's work has centered on improving global women's health. After the completion of her fellowship at the University of Michigan, she joined the institution as junior faculty and later earned a tenure track position, which resulted in a full professorship.[1] In her time at the University of Michigan, Fisseha has been appointed to various academic and administrative positions. She has served as the medical director of Michigan's Center for Reproductive Medicine, chief of division for reproductive endocrinology & infertility, and as the co-director of the medical school's Path of Excellence in Global Health & Disparities.[7]

Fisseha led the creation of the Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT) at the University of Michigan and held the title of founding executive director of the center until 2015.[7] The CIRHT was founded to serve as a collaboration platform for University of Michigan faculty and faculty from medical institutions in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia where the reported maternal mortality rates are high. The goal of the center is to alleviate the burden of maternal mortality and to promote reproductive health and reproductive justice in these regions.[8] Senate played a key role in founding the center and as a facilitator of the collaboration between her colleges at the University of Michigan and faculty at medical institutions in her native Ethiopia.[8]

Fisseha secured a $25 million grant to pilot the CIRHT program with St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) in Addis Ababa.[9] As part of the partnership, a pre-service training module was developed for the physicians, nurses, and midwives. After the successful first implementations of the module in SPHMMC, it was adopted by nine other institutions in the country.[8]

Fisseha was appointed as the director of International Programs at the Buffett Foundation in 2015, where she oversees international grant making and continues to advocate for global reproductive justice.[3]

Fisseha chaired the campaign and transition of the director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the first African elected director-general of WHO.[10] She later served as his Chief Adviser.[10]

Since 2019, Fisseha has been a member of the Lancet–SIGHT Commission on Peaceful Societies Through Health and Gender Equality, chaired by Tarja Halonen.[11]

Other activities

Over her career, Senait has been part of various associations and fellowships including the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), American College of Legal Medicine (ACLM), Norman F. Miller Gynecologic Society, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and American Association of Ultrasound Medicine (AAUM).

In addition, Senait holds the following positions:

  • Global Health 50/50, Member of the Advisory Council (since 2018)[12][13]
  • Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program (of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Graduate School of Education), Member of the Advisory Board (since 2018)[14][15]
  • University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), Member of the Board of Directors (since 2015)[16]
  • Ethio-American Doctors Group, Director[17]
  • Global Initiative for Better Health, Member of the Advisory Board[18]
  • Hamlin Fistula Foundation, Member of Board of Directors
  • Willows Foundation for Reproductive Health (Istanbul, Turkey), Member of Board of Directors[1]
  • WomenLift Health, Member of the Global Advisory Board[19]

Awards

The Ethiopian Ministry of Health honored her with the highest award given in recognition of profound contribution to the health sector in 2013.[20] In 2016, she received the early distinguished career achievement award from the University of Michigan medical center alumni society.[3] She was also one of only 20 recipients of the University of Michigan Bicentennial Alumni Award for her "global leadership in expanding reproductive health services, especially in developing countries."[10] The Association of Women in Business (AWiB) in Ethiopia has nominated her for the "Women of Excellence" award in 2016.[21] She was also listed as one of the 100 most influential Africans of 2018 by the New Africa Magazine.[22]

Publications

Senait has published articles in the fields of reproductive endocrinology, infertility, and medical ethics. She conducts research on infertility, including the use of alternative medicine, the reproductive potential of cancer patients after chemotherapy, and postmenopausal reproduction.[1][17]

Personal life

Senait met her husband Tewodros Fesseha, a plastic surgeon, while she was conducting research at the University of Michigan.[4] She is a mother of four children, three boys and a girl.[23]

gollark: That shouldn't *really* involve downloading and running some shady binary.
gollark: I mean, assuming you have a student loan or whatever, then you do not technically owe them money, you owe some loan agency money.
gollark: ... and why would that mean that them spying on you is okay?
gollark: What does owing them money have to do with it?
gollark: I wouldn't trust their random installer. It is probably installing root certificates so they can spy on all your traffic.

References
  1. "SENAIT FISSEHA (M.D)". Archived from the original on 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  2. "Ethiopian-born doctor, mother of 4, leads mission to save women's lives in developing world". uofMhealthblogs.org. Regents of the University of Michigan. 8 Oct 2014. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 21 Jan 2019.
  3. "Senait Fisseha". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  4. ldet yene (2013-06-28), Helen Show Meet with Dr Senait Fiseha, archived from the original on 2020-01-11, retrieved 2018-11-28
  5. Insight, Addis (2019-01-31). "Dr.Senait Fisseha Awarded the Membership of Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists (RCOG)". Addis Insight. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  6. Mihret Lema (2014-10-11), Who Is Who Senait Fisseha an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, archived from the original on 2020-01-11, retrieved 2018-11-28
  7. "Dr. Senait Fisseha – CIRHT Founder". Center for International Reproductive Health Training. Archived from the original on 2018-12-08. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  8. "Ethiopia". Center for International Reproductive Health Training. Archived from the original on 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  9. "$25 M grant backs U-M project to curb maternal deaths in Ethiopia, other developing nations". Michigan Medicine. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  10. "CIRHT Founder Dr. Senait Fisseha honored with University of Michigan Bicentennial Alumni Award". Center for International Reproductive Health Training. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  11. Commissioners Lancet–SIGHT Commission on Peaceful Societies Through Health and Gender Equality.
  12. "Global Health 50/50 welcomes Dr. Senait Fisseha to its Advisory Council" (Press release). Global Health 50/50. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  13. "Global Health 50/50". Global Health 50/50. Archived from the original on 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  14. "Celebrated Reproductive Health Expert Joins Advisory Board". Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program. 2018-03-03. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  15. "Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program". Harvard Global Health Institute. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  16. Team University of Global Health Equity (UGHE).
  17. "Are you a robot?". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  18. "Advisory Board". Global Initiative for Better Health. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  19. Global Advisory Board WomenLift Health.
  20. "Ethiopia Ministry of Health Honors Dr. Senait Fisseha With its Highest Award". University of Michigan Medical School. Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  21. "Dr. Senait Fisseha nominated for AWiB WOE Award 2016". 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  22. "New African December 2018". Issuu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  23. "The Power of ONE". Retrieved 2018-11-28.
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