Dr. Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire

Dr Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire is the Emergencies Director for WHO Africa, where she leads regional efforts to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies across the continent. A Haitian physician and public health leader, she has built her career at the intersection of outbreak response, health security, humanitarian action and resilient health systems. She currently leads the WHO African Region response to the Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and co leads the Continental Incident Management Support Team with Africa CDC. In this role, she provides strategic direction, mobilizes partners and resources, and drives coordinated action from community and national levels to regional and continental platforms. Dr Belizaire previously served as WHO Representative in the Central African Republic and has held senior emergency leadership roles in complex and fragile settings. She is recognized for combining decisive operational leadership with diplomacy, partnership building and a strong commitment to protecting frontline health workers and affected communities. Her leadership is grounded in the conviction that every emergency response must leave behind stronger health systems, better prepared institutions and more resilient communities. She is a strong advocate for preparedness, emergency ready primary health care, cross border collaboration, sustainable domestic financing, local manufacturing of medical countermeasures and African ownership of health security. Dr Belizaire is a Harvard LEAD Fellow and holds a specialization in community and family medicine, five master’s degrees and a PhD. Her academic and professional journey reflects a deep commitment community-centered approach, to equity, solidarity and African leadership in global health. Throughout her career, she has championed the principle that effective emergency response must not only save lives today, but also build the capacities required to protect communities and economies from future threats.