About Dr. Ario
Dr. Alex Riolexus Ario is Director of the Uganda National Institute of Public Health and Program Director of the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program. An Associate Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology with extensive experience in public health leadership, he has played a central role in building Uganda’s epidemiological research capacity and is widely recognized for his contributions to outbreak response and health security across Africa.
Why he’s nominated
Dr. Ario and his pioneering research team have made a landmark contribution to the evidence base for the 7-1-7 target. Their modelling study provides some of the most compelling evidence yet that faster detection, notification, and response save lives and reduce costs. This research helped move 7-1-7 from an operational target to an evidence-based imperative—and set a new standard for how the global health community measures the value of outbreak preparedness.