Dr Hicham Oumzil

Hicham OUMZIL, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Medical School, University Mohammed V in Rabat, and Head of the Virology Department, at the National Institute of Hygiene (MoH, Morocco). In January 2002, Dr H. OUMZIL received his PhD in Biology from the Mohamed V University in Rabat, and was appointed as a postdoctoral fellow for at Neurovirology laboratory at the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) in Fontenay aux Roses, France, before joining the National Institute of Hygiene.

Over a decade, Professor Oumzil’s research has focused on communicable diseases surveillance, infectious disease epidemiology, virological diagnosis strategies assessment, Rapid testing and POC technologies evaluations, and laboratory capacity building and settlement of national laboratory networks.

Based on his expertise in laboratory technologies, he was assigned as a member of the national authorisation commission for laboratory reagents at the ministry of Health, and has served on a number of panels dealing across epidemiology, disease surveillance, and public health policies.

He currently serves as a key a coordinator for the virological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, influenza and respiratory viruses in Morocco, in the framework of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) program with support of the WHO, and also through a grant funded by the US CDC. He is also the lead virologist for the management of several public health programs: HIV, Hepatitis, Polio, Measles. He is also assigned as a member of the National Scientific Committee for COVID-19 Management. Dr Oumzil has participated in several consultations for the WHO and UNAIDS, as a laboratory expert, in topics related to HIV and STIs, Respiratory viruses, and laboratory management and policy.