Public Health Emergency, Laboratory & Research Directorate
The Public Health Emergency, Laboratory & Research Directorate serves as the analytical and strategic backbone of the region's health system. We are tasked with detecting, verifying, and responding to public health threats, maintaining diagnostic laboratory standards, and generating evidence-based research to guide regional health policy and interventions.
Our Mandate
Our mandate is to safeguard public health through robust disease surveillance, rapid emergency response, and high-quality diagnostic services. By integrating laboratory data with field epidemiology and operational research, we provide the actionable intelligence required to prevent outbreaks, manage health disasters, and continuously improve clinical and public health outcomes across Dire Dawa.
Strategic Objectives
- Establish and manage a robust Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) system for epidemic preparedness and response.
- Ensure the availability, accuracy, and quality of diagnostic laboratory services across all health facilities.
- Conduct and promote operational research to inform evidence-based health planning and policy.
- Strengthen cross-border disease surveillance and early warning systems.
- Maintain biosafety and biosecurity standards in all regional laboratory networks.
Key Programs & Services
To achieve our mandate, the directorate oversees three highly specialized core teams:
Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Team
Coordinates epidemic preparedness, outbreak investigation, and emergency response operations. The team manages the regional Early Warning, Alert, and Response System (EWARS) and leads rapid response deployments during public health crises.
Central Laboratory Team
Oversees the Regional Public Health Laboratory, ensuring quality assurance, proficiency testing, and accreditation for facility laboratories. The team manages advanced diagnostics for tuberculosis, HIV viral load, and emerging pathogens.
Research Team
Drives the bureau’s operational research agenda. This team designs studies, analyzes regional health data, and disseminates findings to evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions and guide future resource allocation.
Directorate Leadership
Dr. Mahlet Tadesse
Dr. Mahlet Tadesse is a field epidemiologist and laboratory scientist with over 14 years of experience in disease surveillance and health systems research. She previously served as the PHEM focal person for Dire Dawa, where she successfully coordinated the regional response to multiple outbreak scenarios.
Holding a PhD in Medical Microbiology and trained through the Ethiopia Field Epidemiology Training Program (EFETP), Dr. Mahlet is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between laboratory diagnostics and public health action.
"Data and diagnostics are the eyes and ears of public health. Without them, we are blind to threats. Our mission is to ensure no outbreak goes undetected and no policy is made without evidence."