José Guerra, MD, MPH

Profile

Medical public health specialist with a strong expertise in field epidemiology and public health surveillance.

Fifteen years of work history in research institutes, governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations.

Work history

Since June 2019: Medical Public Health Specialist, Sigia - Porto, Portugal

Founding partner and manager of the international public health consultancy Sigia (www.sigia.pt ).

Managed and supported the following projects for international organizations, details of each project are available on www.sigia.pt/portfolio/ :

For the World Health Organization (Headquarters, Regional Office for Africa, Regional Office for Europe, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Regional Office for Southeast Asia, Country Office Kyrgyzstan):

  • 2023 - Mapping of collaborative surveillance of zoonotic diseases in the Kyrgyz Republic.
  • 2023 - Update and digitalization of an assessment tool to strengthen in-country Early Warning and Response, including in an emergency context.
  • 2023 - Development of a risk-based strategy and standard operating procedure to implement travel-related health measures in Kyrgyzstan.
  • 2022 - Development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the Global Laboratory Leadership Programme.
  • 2022 - Scoping review on laboratory preparedness and response monitoring and evaluation.
  • 2022 - Assessment of IHR capacities at points of entry in Kyrgyzstan.
  • 2021 - Development of two R-Shiny monitoring dashboards for the COVID-19 WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan
  • 2021 - Review of WHO involvement in Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • 2021 - Support implementation of a public health emergency operations centre and development of its integrated epidemiological platform.
  • 2021 - Situation analysis of IHR capacities and challenges at ground crossings in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.
  • 2021 - Analysis of core capacities at points of entry from Joint External Evaluations and IHR reporting data.
  • 2020 - Development of a COVID-19 monitoring dashboard and situation analysis of health information systems in Kyrgyzstan.
  • 2020 - Scoping review on experiences, challenges, and best practices to integrate data collection and data management processes for public health surveillance across different programmes.
  • 2020 - Advance integrated surveillance in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
  • 2020 - Development and evaluation of a training course on the WHO Event Information Site.
  • 2020 - Development of an interactive visualization dashboard to collate and display data collected by the WHO Strategic Tool for Assessing Risk.
  • 2020 - Rapid scoping review on public health preparedness and response at mass gatherings and public health legacy.
  • 2019 - Development of a strategy and assessment tool to strengthen in-country Early Warning and Response in the World Health Organization European Region. Pilot test of the assessment tool in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.

For the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control through Epiconcept:

  • 2022 - Development of R Shiny applications for modelling vector surveillance and control.

For the Indian Ocean Commission through Integrated Quality Laboratory Services:

  • 2022 - Assessment of early detection and response capacities in Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.

For Infospective Research Ltd:

  • 2021 - End of project evaluation - Regional Action through Data.

For Médecins Sans Frontières:

  • 2023 - Evaluation of MSF’s Lassa fever project in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

09/2013 - 05/2019: Medical Officer, World Health Organization - Lyon, France

In accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005), supported the strengthening of countries’ core capacities for public health surveillance and response.

05/2012 - 08/2013: Medical Public Health Specialist, Freelance - Lille, France

  • Designed and supervised a literature review of the impact of health policies in alcohol consumption for the French national Institute of Cancer.
  • Improved the completion of the French PMSI health information system (equivalent to the American Medicare health information system) in 8 hospitals to increase their revenues through 11 missions.

11/2012 - 03/2013: Medical Public Health Specialist, Pasteur Institute - Lille, France

  • Participated in the conduct of the Elisabet (Enquête Littoral Souffle Air Biologie) epidemiological study to estimate the association between air pollution and pulmonary diseases: supervision of the data collection process, data quality control, communication with the included patients.

11/2010 - 04/2011: Technical Adviser, Preah Kossamak Hospital - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

  • Designed and supervised the first prospective surveillance study to estimate the incidence of surgical site infections in Cambodia.

11/2007 - 04/2012: Medical Resident

Agence de Médecine Préventive - Paris, France

  • Drafted a step-by-step guidelines for National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups to issue evidence informed recommendations.

Medical policy department of Paris Hospitals - Paris, France

  • Analysed the French PMSI health information system (equivalent to the American Medicare health information system) to describe the specificity of long-term intratracheal ventilated patients in rehabilitation units.
  • Performed and published a study to describe the validity of the French PMSI health information system regarding the amount of resources needed to treat long-term intratracheal ventilated patients.

Pasteur Institute - Paris, France

  • Analysed the Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey using conventional and multilevel models to describe the epidemiology of the hepatitis C virus disease in Egypt and identify risk factors.
  • Supported the development of the DEVINE study protocol to detect unknown viruses involved in human encephalitis in West and Central Africa.

Epicentre - Paris, France

  • Evaluated the cholera surveillance system and analysed the cholera epidemiology of the Maradi region, Niger, to identify candidate areas for vaccination.
  • Participated in the design and supervision of a study on measles vaccination coverage in N’Djamena, Chad, during a measles outbreak.

County council of Seine-Saint-Denis - Bobigny, France

  • Prepared the contingency plan for the 117 maternal and child units of the county council to face a pandemic influenza.
  • Analysed the French mortality database on the evolution of infant mortality rates in the county council.

Robert Ballanger Hospital, Aulnay-Sous-Bois, France

  • Performed clinical activities in neurology ward and emergency room.

Maison Blanche Hospital - Paris, France

  • Participated in two European studies (EUGATE and PROMO) dealing with mental health services for migrants and socially marginalized people in Europe.
  • Coordinated two trainings for foreign practitioners on community psychiatry.

Institut de Recheche pour le Développement - Cotonou, Benin

  • Participated in the conduct of a longitudinal study on newborns morbidity.
  • Participated in a clinical trial for the prevention of malaria during pregnancy .

Education

  • Medical degree with public health specialization from the University of Paris VII and Paris XI (2012). National ranking exam (ECN 2007): 326/5565. MD thesis with highest honours, silver medal: “First active prospective surveillance study of surgical site infections in Cambodia”.
  • Master of public health (specialization: methodology and statistics in biomedical research) with highest honours from the University of Paris XI (2010). Thesis: “HCV prevalence and risk factors in Egypt”.
  • Various additional courses, including: Executive course on Global Health Diplomacy (The Graduate Institute, Geneva, 2014) or Critical thinking in global challenges (University of Edinburgh, online course, 2014).

Languages

  • French and Portuguese: mother tongues. English: proficient. Spanish: reading.

Computer skills

  • R statistical software, Microsoft Office suite, Zotero, Lime Survey: proficient.
  • Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS and GNU-Linux operating systems: proficient.

Other activities

Treasurer (2008-2009) – Vice President (2009-2011) – President (2011-2012), national association of public health medical residents, France

  • Set priorities and provided management for a national association (around 200 members).
  • Designed and supervised a national survey on the career of medical public health specialists.
  • Participated in the development of the national competency framework for French medical specialists in public health.
  • Organised ten national workshops for French public health medical residents.

Scientific publications

  1. Guerra J, Davi KM, Rafael FC, Assane H, Imboua L, Diallo FBT, et al. Case study of Argus in Togo: An SMS and web-based application to support public health surveillance, results from 2016 to 2019 . PLOS ONE. 2020 Dec 1;15(12):e0243131.
  2. Guerra J, Acharya P, Barnadas C. Community-based surveillance: A scoping review. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(4):e0215278.
  3. Technical Contributors to the June 2018 WHO meeting. A definition for community-based surveillance and a way forward: results of the WHO global technical meeting, France, 26 to 28 June 2018. Euro Surveill. 2019;24(2).
  4. Guerra J, Dugué F. La carrière des médecins spécialistes de santé publique et médecine sociale titulaires du diplôme d’études spécialisées. Revue d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique. 2019;67(2):106–13.
  5. Guerra J, Isnard M, Guichon C. Postdischarge surveillance of surgical site infections using telephone calls and a follow-up card in a resource-limited setting, Journal of Hospital Infection. 2017.
  6. Guerra J, E. Luciolli, A. Felce, B. Ghersi, F. Guilmineau, M. C. Rousseau, et al. Validité de la description d’un groupe spécifique de patients par le PMSI-SSR. Revue d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique. 2015 Aug;63(4):247–52.
  7. Guerra J, E. Luciolli, A. Felce, B. Ghersi, F. Guilmineau, M. -C. Rousseau, et al. Spécificités des patients trachéoventilés au long cours au sein du PMSI-SSR. Journal de Réadaptation Médicale : Pratique et Formation en Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation. 2015 Jun;35(2):69–74.
  8. Guerra J, Guichon C, Isnard M, So S, Chan S, Couraud S, et al. Active prospective surveillance study with post-discharge surveillance of surgical site infections in Cambodia. J Infect Public Health. 2014 Nov 10.
  9. Guerra J, Garenne M, Mohamed MK, Fontanet A. HCV burden of infection in Egypt: results from a nationwide survey. Journal of Viral Hepatitis. 2012 Aug;19(8):560–7.
  10. Guerra J, Mayana B, Djibo A, Manzo ML, Llosa AE, Grais RF. Evaluation and use of surveillance system data toward the identification of high-risk areas for potential cholera vaccination: a case study from Niger. BMC Res Notes.2012;5:231.
  11. Boespflug A, Guerra J, Dalle S, Thomas L. Enhancement of Customary Dermoscopy Education With Spaced Education e-Learning: A Prospective Controlled Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2015 Apr 22;
  12. Guerrier G, Guerra J, Fermon F, Talkibing WB, Sekkenes J, Grais RF. Outbreak response immunisation: the experience of Chad during recurrent measles epidemics in 2005 and 2010. International Health. 2011 décembre;3(4):226–30.
  13. Schenkel K, Kannagarage NW, Haskew C, Guerra J, Cognat S, Nabeth P, et al. Early warning, Alert and Response (EWAR): a key area for countries in preparedness and response to health emergencies. Weekly Epidemiological Record. 2018;93(20):269–73.
  14. El-Khatib Z, Shah M, Zallappa SN, Nabeth P, Guerra J, Manengu CT, et al. SMS-based smartphone application for disease surveillance has doubled completeness and timeliness in a limited-resource setting– evaluation of a 15-week pilot program in Central African Republic (CAR). Conflict and Health. 2018;12(1).
  15. Jamal Ghoumid, Florence Petit, Muriel Holder-Espinasse, Anne-Sophie Jourdain, José Guerra, Anne Dieux-Coeslier, et al. Nail-Patella Syndrome: clinical and molecular data in 55 families raising the hypothesis of a genetic heterogeneity. Eur J Hum Genet.2015 Apr 22;
  16. Padonou G, Port AL, Cottrell G, Guerra J, Choudat I, Rachas A, et al. Factors associated with growth patterns from birth to 18 months in a Beninese cohort of children. Acta Trop. 2014 Jul;135:1–9.
  17. Géraud Padonou, Agnès Le Port, Gilles Cottrell, Guerra J, Isabelle Choudat, Antoine Rachas, et al. Prematurity, intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight: risk factors in a malaria-endemic area in southern Benin. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg.2014 Feb;108(2):77–83.
  18. Rachas A, Le Port A, Cottrell G, Guerra J, Choudat I, Bouscaillou J, et al. Placental Malaria is Associated With Increased Risk of Nonmalaria Infection During the First 18 Months of Life in a Beninese Population. Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Sep;55(5):672–8.
  19. Koura GK, Ouedraogo S, Le Port A, Watier L, Cottrell G, Guerra J, et al. Anaemia during pregnancy: impact on birth outcome and infant haemoglobin level during the first 18 months of life. Trop Med Int Health. 2012 Mar;17(3):283–91.
  20. Port AL, Cottrell G, Dechavanne C, Briand V, Bouraima A, Guerra J, et al. Prevention of malaria during pregnancy: assessing the effect of the distribution of IPTp Through the national policy in Benin. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2011 Feb;84(2):270–5.
  21. Briand V, Bottero J, Noël H, Masse V, Cordel H, Guerra J, et al. Intermittent treatment for the prevention of malaria during pregnancy in Benin: a randomized, open-label equivalence trial comparing sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine with mefloquine. J Infect Dis. 2009 Sep 15;200(6):991–1001.