Wafaa M Rashed, Chair and Founder of Pan-African PGS Education and Research Initiative, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Final Words to the Twelfth Cohort of the Policy Advocacy in Genetics and Genomics Course
Dear Participants,
As the twelfth cohort concludes its journey, I am deeply moved by the passion, intellect, and purpose each of you brought to this shared mission. You entered this course as learners — and now stand as advocates, ready to shape the next chapter of Africa’s genomics and health policy landscape.
Congratulations on completing the Policy Advocacy in Genetics and Genomics Course, a flagship program of the Pan-African PGS Education and Research Initiative (PAPERI). You have shown that knowledge becomes transformative only when coupled with courage — the courage to speak, to question, and to act for equity.
Throughout this course, you explored the most pressing policy frontiers — from data sovereignty and ethical governance to equitable partnerships, artificial intelligence, and the future of precision medicine. You debated with insight, collaborated across disciplines, and built a shared language of justice in science.
Participating Countries:
Algeria | Zambia | Burkina Faso | Kenya | Pakistan | Zimbabwe | Nigeria | Ethiopia | Egypt | Liberia | Tanzania
Together, you have proven once again that Africa’s genomic future will not be left to chance — it will be forged by scientists, policy leaders, and advocates who dare to imagine a fairer, more inclusive scientific world.
My heartfelt gratitude to our Teaching Assistants team (Dr. Ernest Ahamah, MLS.D and Ms Hajer Ziadi) for their tireless support and dedication — turning a course into a community, and a community into a movement.
Carry these truths with you:
- Policy is where science meets justice.
- Advocacy transforms knowledge into action.
- Africa’s health sovereignty begins with African leadership — in labs, in legislatures, and in learning spaces like this one.
This is not the end of a course — it is the continuation of a calling.
Take what you have learned, amplify the voices around you, and keep building bridges between discovery and dignity. The future is waiting for your leadership.
With pride and unwavering faith in your journey,
Dr. Wafaa M. Rashed, PhD
Founder and Chair
Pan-African PGS Education and Research Initiative (PAPERI)”
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