Africa is the second largest continent in the world, comprising about 54 independent countries with an estimated population of approximately 1.369 billion. Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death across Africa and there is a strong need to discuss some of the infectious diseases affecting Africa and how to tackle them. This tutorial will cover the following topics: (1) Infectious Diseases in Africa and (2) Infectious Disease Modeling for Africa.

Infectious Diseases in Africa

We will discuss infectious diseases based on pathogens: viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic. I will also discuss the African region with the highest disease burdens. The mode of transmission, prevention, and treatment of the diseases will also be discussed. The talk will cover the following infectious diseases:

• Viral diseases such as Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever

• Bacteria diseases such as tuberculosis and cholera

• Fungal infection; cryptococcosis

• Parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and malaria.

Infectious Disease Modelling for Africa

This part will discuss the mathematical models of selected infectious diseases, malaria, tuberculosis, EVD, LF, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and cryptococcosis, and the mathematical approaches applied to them.

Biography:

Dr. Chinwendu Emilian Madubueze was born on 28 April 1983 at Aba, Abia State in Eastern Nigeria. She attended her primary and secondary schools at College Primary School and Community Girls’ Secondary School Umungasi, Aba, in Abia State. She is the 5th in a family of seven children and had to hawk fruits as a child to support her family. Her love for arithmetic is derived from this humble beginning, which later led her to win awards as the best student in mathematics during her primary and secondary schools.

She later proceeded to the University of Benin to study Industrial Mathematics, graduating with First-class Honours in 2008. Dr. Madubueze was the best student in her second and third years in her class and the best graduating student. She also enrolled for a Master's in Mathematics at the University of Benin and graduated with Distinction in 2012.

After that, she secured employment as a graduate assistant in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, now known as Joseph Tarkaa Univerisity Makurdi, Nigeria, where she rose to Senior lecturer. Following the resumption of duty, she enrolled for a PhD in Mathematics at the same University, which she finished with a Distinction in May 2018. She specializes in mathematical epidemiology and has significantly contributed to her field of interest. She has published and co-published numerous scholarly papers in reputable academic journals. She is widely travelled and has presented papers at many academic conferences and workshops worldwide.

Dr. Madubueze is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, Canada, under the supervision of Prof. Jane Heffernan.

She is a founder of the ChyPhil STEM foundation and a formidable member of several professional bodies, including the Organization of Women in Science in Developing World (OWSD), the National Mathematical Society (NMS), Nigerian Women in Mathematics (NWM), the African Women in Mathematics (AWM), Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and European Mathematics Society (EMS).

Dr. Madubueze has been privileged to serve in various capacities within the University, particularly on various essential boards. Similarly, she has been privileged to render notable services outside the university. She served as a reviewer to some academic journals of applied Mathematical sciences. She advocates for the STEM movement for high school girls and undergraduate female students. She is also involved in the Catch Them Young STEM movement for elementary schools in her locality in Nigeria.

She is a beneficiary of several awards, scholarships and fellowships, amongst which are:

Travel Grant for IMU-CDC Volunteer Lecturer Program for a Seminar in Applied Mathematics at the Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi, Nigeria, 2023, Committee for Women in Mathematics (CDC) 2023 call for a project award, Postdoctoral fellowship of American Association of University Women (AAUW) 2022-23 award, IMU-Simons African Fellowship Program Grant 2020, TWAS-DFG Cooperative Visits Programme for scientists from sub-Saharan Africa to Germany for three months, 2019, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Ph.D. Scholarship. Feb. 2013 – Oct. 2017, Neni Education Foundation Award of Post Graduate Scholarship M.Sc. 2011 and numerous travel grants.

Dr. Madubueze is happily married to Dr Sunday Madubueze and the union is blessed with four wonderful children.