Who We Are
Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health Africa is a pan African institute that is formed to address the challenges posed to the health of the working populations and communities in Africa by work activities. The African Continent is experiencing huge expansions in mining, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and support services in IT, transportation, security and food industry.
These activities are generating huge health and environmental hazards with significant impact on the health of working populations and communities. The occupational health and safety legislative framework in Africa is also limited and fragmented, which increases the vulnerability of the working populations and communities to serious levels of exposures. This has resulted in multiplication of the rates of cancer, respiratory and other serious occupational diseases and injuries in the continent. The number of trained professionals in every discipline of occupational health and safety in Africa is acutely short
The number of workers who have access to occupational health services is the lowest in the world.
To address the above challenges Centre of Occupational and Environmental Health Africa works with Governments, Academic institutions, Trade Unions, communities and all stakeholders in occupational health and safety to build capacity in occupational health and safety. This is done through education, training, legislative support, research and digital transformation
Our Vision
To be Africa’s leading centre of excellence advancing safe, healthy, and dignified work for all—protecting workers, communities, and the environment through strong systems, skilled professionals, and equitable policies.
Our Mission
COEHA exists to protect and promote the health of Africa’s working populations and communities by building capacity in occupational health, safety, and environmental practice.
– Educating and training doctors, nurses, and allied professionals to become accredited occupational health and environmental specialists
– Delivering high-quality health and safety training for companies across high-risk sectors
– Supporting governments and stakeholders to develop, strengthen, and implement effective occupational health, safety, and environmental legislation
– Advocating for vulnerable workers, particularly miners, their communities, and women in the workplace
– Promoting research, collaboration, and digital innovation to address Africa’s evolving occupational and environmental health challenges
Through partnership with governments, academic institutions, trade unions, industry, and communities, COEHA works to close the skills gap, expand access to occupational health services, and reduce work-related diseases, injuries, and environmental harm across Africa
Dr Omer El Nagieb (MD MSc FFOM) – Consultant Occupational Physician
Dr El Nagieb is an accredited specialist in Occupational medicine with a wide experience of more than 20 years across the full spectrum of occupational health.
He graduated from the University of Khartoum and trained initially as an orthopedic surgeon. He completed his accredited training in occupational medicine through the Faculty of Occupational Medicine – London and the University of Manchester, obtaining the Membership of the Faculty and MSc in an Occupational Medicine from the University. He worked across the spectrum of OH in the UK before moving to the Middle East – Abu Dhabi. He established the modern OH services for the oil and gas industry and played a major role supporting education and training in OH in the region; using his position as an Honorary lecture in Occupational medicine with the University of Manchester. He was awarded the Fellowship of Faculty of Occupational Medicine London in acknowledgment of his efforts in training and education in Occupational medicine.
Dr El Nagieb returned back to the UK to lead the OH service for the London Fire Brigade – as the Chief Medical Officer. He worked with colleagues to revise the fitness standards for recruitment and retention to in the fire and rescue services in the UK.
Dr El Nagieb was appointed as the Federal Minister of Health for the Sudan and remained in the job until November 2021. During the tenure of his role he worked with colleagues and international health partners to rebuild the health system and promote and expand OH in the Sudan and the region.
Dr El Nagieb; with colleagues has founded the Centre of Occupational and Environmental Health – Africa to continue the ambitious program of expanding OH in the continent.
Dr.Hader Mousa (MBBS MSc) – Epidemiologist | Specialized in Health Emergencies | Digitization &Digital Transformation Advocate
Hader is a public health specialist with more than 10 years’ experience working in different levels of health system in Sudan and in South Sudan. She got her medical degree from Juba University in Sudan and her post-graduate degree is in Epidemiology from the American University of Beirut.
In country like Sudan with multiple and recurrent emergencies managing and coordinating large scale public health projects is a complex process; Hader had worked with/led different inter-agency teams in the area of preparedness for and in response to different health emergencies.
Hader worked as the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Health Minister in Sudan, where she continued to work in areas like health system strengthening, digital transformation, capacity building and fund raising. Her great passion is to build multidisciplinary teams with focus on knowledge transfer and building skills of young professionals. Hader is a co-founder of COEHA.
Dr. Hafiz Omer Ahmed (B.Sc. MSc PhD) – Occupational Hygiene and Safety Consultant
Dr. Ahmed was an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, UAE. He has extensive experience of over 30 years in the field of Occupational Health and Safety, particularly Occupational Hygiene and Safety both as a hands-on practitioner and an academic.
After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Khartoum, Dr. Ahmed completed his PhD and Master’s degrees in Occupational Health and Safety in the United Kingdom. His PhD research was on hearing conservation, a subject he has become a world expert in.
Before moving to the academic field, Dr Ahmed worked as an occupational hygienist in the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor – Sudan. His contribution was instrumental in developing the OH laboratories in Khartoum; the only one of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Ahmed has conducted numerous research projects and published more than 20 articles in reputable international peer-reviewed journals in the field of Occupational Health and Safety.
During his career, Dr. Ahmed contributed to the design and accreditation of a number of programs (M.Sc., B.Sc. and Diploma) in the field of Environment and Occupational Health and Safety, and also participated in the training of Occupational Health and Safety inspectors. Dr. Ahmed chaired the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, UAE for more than 5 years and is a member of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), U.K.
Dr. Ahmed and colleagues founded COEHA to continue the ambitious program of expanding Occupational Health and Safety in the continent.
Dr Eltigani Elbadri (MBBS ADOM MFOM) – Occupational Health Specialist
Dr. Elbadri is an accredited Occupational Health Specialist with experience spanning over more than 10 years in leading OH services, designing OH programs and developing effective healthcare systems.
He has been leading the OH Services for Capital Health Screening Center – a Mubadala Company in Abu Dhabi for more than 10 years; supporting businesses in the UAE and working with legislators to develop appropriate OH law and guidance
Registration: Occupational Medicine Specialist SMC, Irish Medical Council
After graduating from the University of Khartoum, Dr Elbadri pursued training in Occupational Medicine through the University of Manchester –UK qualifying with Advanced Diploma in Occupational Medicine. He completed his accredited training through the Faculty of Occupational Medicine- Ireland obtaining the MFOM degree.
Dr Elbadri currently leads the OH team in CHSC and oversees the full service provision to the various industries and clients in Abu Dhabi. He supports Senior Management in the strategic decisions in OH, works closely with business development teams to design and cost OH programs, oversees the clinical delivery to clients and monitors the quality of the service provision.
He plays a major role in recruiting and training OH doctors to the specialty and supports them through delivering training courses and preparing them for the Faculty of Occupational Medicine examinations.
Dr Elbadri is a founding member of the Emirates Society of Occupational Medicine and remains an active Board Member.
He is a founding member of COEHA.
Dr Fathi S. Khalil – Consultant | Human Capital Development
Fathi has a B.Sc. (Honors) In Business Administration from University of Khartoum, Sudan and a PhD in Human Resource Management from University Of Bath, U.K.
Fathi worked for over 30 years as an instructor and trainer, that included teaching in many universities in Sudan, Egypt, Oman & UAE. Between 1999and 2010, he worked as a senior lecturer and trainer for the Police Academy in UAE.
He has also worked as a consultant in areas of institutional development, change management, human capital development, organizational structures and work policies and rules.
Currently, Fathi is a Senior Human Capital Development specialist in Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
He also participated in numerous researches and empirical studies in a wide range of areas related to human resources at the macro & micro level.
Much of Fathi’s work is in helping organizations benefit from the implicit and explicit knowledge resources through the designing of knowledge management systems.
