Sara Lavinia Brair, MD, FFPH
Public Health Physician
Bio
Dr. Sara Lavinia Brair has an extensive background in health care management, policy, and public health. She served as the Director General of the White Nile State and Acting Minister of Health for 2 years during the transitional government in Sudan. During the revolution she sat on many political reform committees, including a committee that discussed the Higher Education reform, attended a committee on reforming the educational system in Sudan. She also worked on the Health Reform Plan that was submitted to the Prime Minister Hamadook. She also worked with youth and resistance committees to promote the healthy dialogue and remove mistrust to allow for consensus between different groups.
In her professional career, she served both in the academia and the healthcare system in the government. In academia, she served as the Dean of the Deanship of Scientific Research at Al Neelain University, and during this period she advocated for e-learning and established the first online Diploma in the country in collaboration with Maryland University. She served on many committees at the Federal Ministry of Health related to epidemic mitigation and promotion of immunization and ethics. She participated in the establishment of the Sudanese Network for Research Ethics and participated in the addition of research ethics curricula to medical schools in Sudan.
In the civil society, she cofounded two organizations that help the needy and empower women educationally and economically, Mazaya Charity Organization and Soroptimist Organization Sudan office, part of an international organization based in the US that empowers women. She was awarded the Sian Griffiths Global Public Health Award from the Royal College of Physicians in 2022 for her unique contribution in promoting Global Public Health. She was also awarded the Best Female Doctor Award in 2018, Al Neelain University Student Union.
Sara earned a medical degree from Juba University Medical College, Sudan; Medical Doctorate in Community Medicine from Sudan Medical Specialization Board; Specialization in Community Medicine from the Arab Board, Jordan; and a Specialization in Dermatology from Sudan Medical Specialization Board, Sudan. She has a Diploma in Research Ethics from Maryland University, USA; and a Diploma in Clinical Education from Edinburgh University, UK. She is a fellow at the Royal College of Physicians and the Higher Academy of Education, UK. She has a Fellowship in Health Equity from George Washington University, USA; and a Fellowship in Leadership from CDC Africa, African Union.