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SINGAPORE, 28 October 2021 - The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA)announced that Prof Tikki Pangestu will step down as Board Chair as of 10 November2021. Prof Tikki has been on the Board since November 2016 in differentcapacities. APLMA also appointed and welcomed Lady Roslyn Morauta and DrHsu Li Yang to its Board of Directors, at its recent Board Meeting on 19 October2021.
ProfTikki Pangestu said: “It has been an honour and great pride to have been partof this important cause. We have made great progress in the region and reachingthe last mile to end malaria is critical and achievable. I thank all my fellowBoard Members, our partners and the Secretariat; and wish you all the very bestas we accelerate the fight to end malaria for good.”
DrSarthak Das, CEO of APLMA said:“On behalf of APLMA, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Prof TikkiPangestu for his service as Board Chair and Board Member over the past 5 years.His leadership has been instrumental in linking science to health diplomacy particularly in a regionwhere malaria is becoming increasingly invisible in many parts. We are gratefulto two of our esteemed Board Members and eminent leaders, Dr Kamini Mendes andDr Christoph Benn, who will serve together as interim Board Co-Chairs.”
DrDas also welcomed the appointment of Lady Roslyn Morauta and Dr Hsu Li Yang to APLMA’sBoard of Directors and expressed the Secretariat’s full support in their newroles. “Lady Roslyn brings a singular trifecta of experience: deep knowledge ofPapua New Guinea, an understanding of the Indo Pacific Region, and a globalperspective through her work with the Global Fund. An infectious diseasespecialist and public health expert, Dr Hsu has also been a catalyst in the regionalfight against antimicrobial resistance, and has also contributed to Singapore’sexemplary Covid-19 response through the different phases of the past two years.Both will take our regional elimination journey to new heights.
LadyRoslyn said: “I am delighted to join APLMA and fellow Board members at a time when the pandemic is causingenormous disruption to malaria efforts and one when we must remain steadfast. Iam grateful to the APLMA Board for this opportunity and look forward to workingwith the Secretariat to step up our collective commitment and investment in theglobal fight against malaria and to end malaria in Asia Pacific.”
DrHsu said: “I am honored to join APLMA at this critical juncture. Addressing bothlast mile challenges and issues of drug-resistance malaria are both essential topush the region towards malaria elimination. In the end, strengthening surveillance and health systems more broadly,particularly where resources are limited, will be critical to end thispreventable disease by 2030. I look forward to supporting APLMA in thisregard.”
LadyRoslyn currently serves as Vice-Chairof The Global Fund Board and has a long association with the Global Fundhaving served as alternate Board Member for the Western Pacific Regionconstituency and as Chair of the Papua New Guinea Country CoordinatingMechanism. From her time as first lady of Papua New Guinea (PNG), she has builtextensive experience and knowledge in private and public sectors, and the PNG’slocal policy and health system. Overthe years, her deep understanding of global health has led her to steadilychampioned health, HIV programs and gender issues. Roslyn continues to beactively involved in voluntary community work and serves as a director on anumber of boards.
Dr Hsu Li Yang is aninfectious diseases physician by training who has spent the past decaderesearching and treating patients with drug-resistant infections. He currently serves as Vice Dean ofGlobal Health and Programme Leader of Infectious Diseases at the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School ofPublic Health. Prior to this he served as the founding Clinical Director of theNational Centre for Infectious Diseases and Director of the Singapore Infectious DiseasesInitiative, which aimed to build collaborative research in infectious diseasesin both Singapore and the region. Dr Hsu has also served as technical advisoron surveillance of antimicrobial resistance to the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific regional office, and continues to serve in a numberof committees in Singapore’s Ministry of Health.
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