Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi

Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi is the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and has over 35 years of professional experience in the humanitarian world, with assignments in more than 40 countries. His experience includes both volunteer and professional work with many National Societies, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and IFRC. He previously served as Vice President of Health in Emergencies, Learning and Innovation at the Canadian Red Cross, where he led preparedness and response efforts for complex humanitarian emergencies. Hossam has been at the forefront of preparedness and response to complex humanitarian emergencies, including epidemics, earthquakes, hurricanes, and wars. He has managed teams responding to catastrophic events domestically and internationally, with a focus on capacity strengthening of local efforts, learning, and innovation. He worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, where he developed the guidance document for medical teams responding to health emergencies in armed conflict and insecure environments, known as “The Red Book”. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia and guest faculty at McGill and McMaster Universities. He teaches disaster response and healthcare in complex humanitarian crises. He has authored and edited more than a dozen publications and presentations on issues dealing with humanitarian work, disaster response, healthcare and medical technology, and capacity building.