The Center for Global Health Equity and faculty from the U-M Medical School played a prominent role in a recent international conference hosted by the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA).
The 34th NAAMA International Conference took place in Ireland in early July and featured several UMMS speakers, among them former CGHE Director Joseph Kolars. CGHE also sponsored the event, which drew more than 200 health professionals, learners, and other stakeholders from the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. This year’s theme: Empowering Global Collaboration.
“While NAAMA has hosted international conventions in the past, this was our first convention centered on global health collaboration as its core theme. This emphasis on collaborative, globally engaged solutions marks a meaningful evolution in NAAMA’s mission and scope,” said UMMS Professor of Pathology Rouba Ali-Fehmi, a CGHE member and the chair of this year’s conference, former NAAMA president.
Hosted at Trinity College Dublin, the conference highlighted topics including practicing medicine in conflict zones; infectious diseases and vaccinations; global pathology; future leaders of global health, women’s health; and more. Kolars, now Director of Strategic Development for Global Initiatives at the U-M Medical School, led a panel discussion on building sustainable international collaborations. Three of Ali-Fehmi’s pathology colleagues—Drs. Ulysses Balis, Kamran Mirza, and Julia Dahl—spoke about global aspects of their field, including education in LMICs and the potential applications of AI in such settings.
“While U-M faculty have participated in past NAAMA initiatives, the breadth and depth of involvement this year were especially notable,” Ali-Fehmi said.
U-M students involved in the University’s NAAMA NextGen chapter played a significant role as well, organizing much of the learner-focused content for the event.
“Between the student efforts and the faculty involvement—spanning multiple departments and leadership roles—this reflects a growing partnership between NAAMA and U-M around shared goals in global health and education,” Ali-Fehmi said.
