Jeff Mecaskey (He / Him)

Jeffrey Mecaskey was Team Leader/Chef d’Équipe of Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa (TDDAP), DFID's flagship programme for integrated health security in Africa through 2022. He was also Technical Lead for Economics & Financing, Evidence & Learning with DAI Global Health and served as Managing Director from 2009-13. He has more than 35 years’ experience in international development with a focus on health and political economics, health policy and evidence uptake. He has expertise in research portfolio development and management, including the politics of innovation uptake, as well as planning, implementation and evaluation of health programmes. Before joining DAI Global Health, Jeff was Head of Health and HIV at Save the Children UK (2006-8) where he oversaw the organisation's health and HIV portfolios. During this time he played a pivotal role in the formulation of Save the Children's policy and strategy focus on health equity and health system strengthening to secure child rights worldwide. Previously, Jeff served as Vice President of Operations at Axios International in France (2004-5) where he managed the organisation's consultancy operations. He also oversaw the organisational development of a sister NGO to model improved chronic disease management such as HIV/AIDS in Africa and similar resource-constrained settings. Prior to this, Jeff was Vice President of Programs at the International Trachoma Initiative in the United States from 1998 until 2004 where he oversaw in planning, implementation and evaluation of the global initiative to eliminate blinding trachoma through national programming, operational research and targeted communications. From 1990 to 1997, Jeff was Associate at the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation where he co-directed a $4 million per annum grant making program to improve health in Africa. Between 1989 and 1990, Jeff operated as a consultant on economic analyses, management training and pharmaceutical policy for the Harvard Institute for International Development. During this time he was involved in curriculum development and taught health economics at Harvard School of Public Health. He also worked as a consultant for John Snow Inc. in developing financial models for immunisation programmes. Jeff has served on numerous boards and scientific committees. He serves on the boards of charitable HPI Institute, and the Britain Nepal Medical Trust (Chair: 20015-10). Others include, TransAid (Finance Committee, 2015-17), Woman's Dignity (Treasurer: 2008-11), and RAINBO (Chair, 2000-06). He was a member of the Oxford University Global Governance Initiative and on its committee governance and globalisation (2006-11). A member of the UK Faculty of Public Health, Jeff studied for a Doctorate in Health Economics and a Master of Science in Health policy and Management from Harvard School of Public Health. Jeff has a number of publications on health economics, health policy and disease control. His more recent publications include an assessment of the importance of equity in reaching the Millennium Development Goals, just published in PLOS/Medicine, and a chapter on the Loss of Vision and Hearing in Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, Evans, D et al., The World Bank/Oxford University Press, 2006. Jeff has consulted and worked in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as Estonia, France, Germany, UK and USA.