Project HOPE Announces New Senior Advisor on Infectious Diseases

Millwood, VA, November 8, 2012

Global NGO Project HOPE welcomes Christine Whalen, MD, FRCP(C) as its new Senior Advisor on Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Whalen is a public health specialist with over 20 years experience in health and development, with expertise in TB and TB/HIV, malaria and other vector borne diseases.  Most recently, she was the Senior Program Coordinator for UNICEF in its joint effort with The Global Fund on TB and Malaria in North Korea.

“Dr. Whalen’s extensive knowledge of tuberculosis and TB/HIV comorbidity will be an enormous asset to Project HOPE as we continue to identify opportunities to aid people with infectious diseases throughout the world,” said John P. Howe III, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Project HOPE.

As Senior Specialist, Health and Population for the Americas, at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) from 1996 – 2002, Dr. Whalen provided technical leadership in the development of health programs in Latin America including  many TB initiatives in this region as well as in Asia.  She was also the agency’s technical lead in the development of the Global Drug Facility with many other partners, thus addressing a major barrier to TB control through improved access to quality assured TB medicines.

From 2003 – 2006 Dr. Whalen worked for Management Sciences for Health (MSH) as the Director of Health Services and shortly thereafter as the Director of MSH’s TB Unit.  She established MSH’s TB program, ensuring integration with HIV and spearheaded MSH’s laboratory-strengthening initiative.  During this time she also provided technical support to many programs globally.

Following her time at MSH, Dr. Whalen established her own nonprofit consulting firm in The Netherlands, Health Bridge Consulting International, where she continued to provide support to numerous public and private sector organizations in their development, implementation and assessment of infectious disease programs.

“I look forward to developing new programs with Project HOPE and its partners in the private and public sectors, so that we can better address the needs of those suffering from infectious diseases in underserved communities throughout the world,” Dr. Christine Whalen said.

A native of Canada, Dr. Whalen earned her medical degree at Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala.  She also trained in the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program at the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Health Canada and later completed a residency in Community Medicine [FRCP(C)] at the University of Ottawa.

About Project HOPE
Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health crises, with the mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS HOPE, the world’s first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now conducts land-based medical training and health education programs in 35 countries across five continents.