Florentina Rafael, PhD

Profile

Public Health expert with strong proficiency in field epidemiology (outbreak preparedness and response, outbreak investigation, public health surveillance), and living and working experiences in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Work history

Since April 2019: Independent Consultant - Lyon, France

Epidemiologist freelance for national and international organizations.

04/2018 - 05/2019: World Health Organization - Lyon, France

Cholera advisor:

  • Provided expertise and advice to the Tanzanian Ministry of Health for a preemptive vaccination campaign:
  • Identification of cholera hotspots in Zanzibar for the Zanzibar Cholera Control Plan.
  • Request of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) from the Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) stockpile (identification of areas to be vaccinated, population to be targeted, and the number of doses needed).
  • Assisted the Ugandan Ministry of Health with the preparedness and response to a cholera outbreak in Hoima District:
  • Development of the vaccination plan to implement the first OCV campaign in Hoima District.
  • Design of training material for the Training of Trainers at the national level.
  • Preparation of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
  • Advocacy for the creation of a multidisciplinary cholera coordination committee.
  • Coordination of the two rounds of the OCV campaign.
  • Collaboration with key stakeholders to implement cholera prevention and control activities
  • Reinforcement of the cholera surveillance system

Public Health surveillance coordinator:

  • Supported the second phase of the implementation of Argus in Togo, an IT tool whose aim was to support public health surveillance for early detection and response.
  • Implementation of operational activities for Argus.
  • Organization of training related to Argus for health officers.
  • Advocacy for the extension of the tool at national level

01/2016 - 01/201: Agence de médecine préventive - Paris, France

Assisted the Mozambican Health Ministry for cholera outbreak response in Nampula:

  • Request of vaccines from the OCV emergency stockpile that is available principally for an outbreak response (provision of cholera history, justification of targeted area, development of integrative vaccination plan and budget).
  • Implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) activities following the OCV campaign, which included: monitoring of adverse events following immunization; a population survey aiming to assess vaccine coverage and acceptability; a vaccine effectiveness study and an impact study.

Assisted Malawian Health Ministry for the cholera outbreak in Lake Chilwa, a hard-to-reach area:

  • Requests of vaccines from the OCV emergency stockpile.
  • Participation in the National Cholera Task Force group for the practical organization of the campaign.
  • Design of IEC materials.
  • Design and coordination of a pilot study for the use of an innovative strategy for the OCV delivery.
  • Monitoring of adverse events following immunization.
  • Monitoring and evaluation of the OCV campaign.

03/2015 - 11/2015: Epicentre/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) - Paris, France

  • Developed a study protocol and tools to investigate an outbreak of unknown aetiology in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Carried out and coordinated the investigation of the outbreak.

01/2013 - 01/2015: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health (WHOCC) /EPSM Lille métropole - Lille, France

  • Assisted the director in implementing actions and programs related to mental health in France, in accordance with WHO policy.
  • Guided fundraising, business development, and partnership activities.
  • Coordinated the organization of the 4th International WHOCC Congress.

01/2012 - 12/2012: WHOCC for research and training in mental health - Lille, France

  • Developed study protocols for a pilot program focused on mental health peer support workers in France.
  • Collaborated and implemented the conduct of the pilot program (3 studies including with 2 research teams).
  • Facilitated work meetings and steering committees with the stakeholders.

10/2010 - 12/2011: Institute of Neurological Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology (IENT), Inserm UMR 1094 of tropical Neuroepidemiology - Limoges, France

  • Created and managed the implementation of a regional clinical trial related to drug-resistant epilepsy in France.
  • Supported trainings involving neurologists, nurses, and surveyors.

09/2007 - 10/2010: IENT, Inserm UMR 1094 of tropical Neuroepidemiology - Limoges, France

  • Designed and coordinated a rural survey focus on epilepsy-related stigma in Benin.
  • Reviewed scientific literature related to social representation in Epilepsy in Limousin (France).

01/2006 - 06/2006: IENT, Inserm UMR 1094 of tropical Neuroepidemiology - Limoges, France

  • Participated in the setting up of a cohort study of people with epilepsy in Benin.
  • Conducted semi-structured interviews and focal groups among people with epilepsy.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Public Health, specialization in Neuroepidemiology, University of Limoges, Inserm UMR 1094 of tropical Neuroepidemiology, Limoges, France (2010).

  • Research Master’s degree in Neurosciences and Tropical Parasitology, University of Limoges, Inserm UMR 1094 of tropical Neuroepidemiology, Limoges, France (2006). Orientation: Neuroepidemiology.

  • Master of Science degree, University of Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France (2005). Orientation: Neurosciences and Animal Behavior.

Additional coursework

  • University diploma “Community mental health: studies and applications” –University of Lille 2, Lille, France (2013)
  • Cross-cultural epidemiology course –University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland (2010)
  • Bachelor of Psychology –University of Toulouse le Mirail, Toulouse 2, Toulouse, France (2004). Orientation: Cross-Cultural Psychology 

Languages

  • French: mother tongue. Portuguese: mother tongue. English: Proficient.

Computer skills

  • Statistical software: Stata, Epidata
  • Office automation software: Microsoft Office, EndNote, Zotero

Publications

Grandesso F, Rafael F, Chipeta S, Alley I, Saussier C, Nogareda F, Burns M, Lechevalier P, Page AL, Salumu L, Pezzoli L, Mwesawina M, Cavailler P, Mengel M, Luquero FJ, Cohuet S. Oral cholera vaccination in hard-to-reach communities, Lake Chilwa, Malawi. Bull World Health Organ. 2018 Dec 1;96(12):817-825. doi: 10.2471/BLT.17.206417. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Semá Baltazar C, Rafael F, Langa JPM, Chicumbe S, Cavailler P, Gessner BD, Pezzoli L, Barata A, Zaina D, Inguane DL, Mengel MA, Munier A. Oral cholera vaccine coverage during a preventive door-to-door mass vaccination campaign in Nampula, Mozambique. PLoS One. 2018 Oct 3;13(10):e0198592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198592. eCollection 2018.

Heyerdahl LW, Ngwira B, Demolis R, Nyirenda G, Mwesawina M, Rafael F, Cavailler P, Bernard Le Gargasson J, Mengel MA, Gessner BD, Guillermet E. Innovative vaccine delivery strategies in response to a cholera outbreak in the challenging context of Lake Chilwa. A rapid qualitative assessment. Vaccine. 2018 Oct 22;36(44):6491-6496. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.108. Epub 2017 Nov 7.

Rafael F, Chicumbe S, Cavailler P, Barata A, Langa JPM. Passive, health center-based assessment of adverse events following oral cholera immunization in Nampula city, Mozambique. Vaccine. 2017 Oct 27;35(45):6041-6042. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.07.033. Epub 2017 Sep 9.

Peyraud N, Rafael F, Parker LA, Quere M, Alcoba G, Korff C, et al. An epidemic of dystonic reactions in central Africa. Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Feb;5(2):e137-e138. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30287-X.

Alvarez J-C, Larabi I-A, Abe E, Etting I, Peyraud N, Rafael F, et al. Épidémie de dystonie en République Démocratique du Congo: les risques de la contrefaçon. Toxicologie Analytique et Clinique. 2016;28(2):S13.

Le Cardinal P, Roelandt J-L, Rafael F, Vasseur-Bacle S, François G, Marsili M. Pratiques orientées vers le rétablissement et pair-aidance : historique, études et perspectives. L’information psychiatrique. 2013;89(5):365–370.

Bruno E, Bartoloni A, Sofia V, Rafael F, Magnelli D, Padilla S, et al. Epilepsy-associated stigma in Bolivia: A community-based study among the Guarani population. Epilepsy Behav. 2012 Sep;25(1):131-6. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.07.011. Epub 2012 Aug 21.

Quet F, Rafael F, Ngoungou EB, Diagana M, Druet-Cabanac M, Preux PM. Investigating epilepsy in Africa: 10 years of data collection using a standardized questionnaire in 2,269 peoples with epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2011 Oct;52(10):1868-76. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03255.x. Epub 2011 Sep 11.

Bruno E, Bartoloni A, Sofia V, Rafael F, Magnelli D, Ortiz E, et al. Sociocultural dimension of epilepsy: An anthropological study among Guaraní communities in Bolivia—An International League Against Epilepsy/International Bureau for Epilepsy/World Health Organization Global Campaign Against Epilepsy Regional Project. Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Oct;22(2):346-51. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.07.012. Epub 2011 Aug 15.

Rafael F, Houinato D, Nubukpo P, Dubreuil C-M, Tran DS, Odermatt P, et al. Sociocultural and psychological features of perceived stigma reported by people with epilepsy in Benin. Epilepsia. 2010 Jun;51(6):1061-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2009.02511.x. Epub 2010 Feb 3.

Rafael F, Dubreuil C, Prado JA, Burbaud F, Clement J-P, Preux P-M, et al. Social and cultural representation of Epilepsy in elderly aged 65 and more, during a community survey in two French Departments (Haute-vienne and Creuse). Annals of neurosciences. 2010;17(2):60.

Rafael F, Dubreuil C-M, Burbaud F, Tran DS, Clement J-P, Preux P-M, et al. Knowledge of epilepsy in the general population based on two French cities: implications for stigma. Epilepsy Behav. 2010 Jan;17(1):82-6. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.10.014. Epub 2009 Nov 11.

Books

Contribution

Demailly Lise. Aller Mieux: Approches Sociologiques. Presses universitaires du Septentrion, 2017.

Direction

Déchamp-Le Roux, Catherine, and Florentina Rafael. Santé Mentale: Guérison et Rétablissement: Regards Croisés. John Libbey Eurotext, 2015.