Dar es Salaam ‒ Dr Joseph Okwororo has been a medical professional for 21 years. Specializing in epidemiology, he is the focal person for infection prevention and control (IPC) at Tanzania’s Ministry of Health. He has worked in many disease outbreak responses across the African region, including Ebola, mpox and Marburg. 

In February 2023, World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with Tanzania’s Ministry of Health and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, trained a cohort of 150 public health experts to respond to health emergencies and humanitarian crises within 24 to 48 hours from the time of an incident. Dr Okwororo was a member of this cohort, and it was not long before he was called to put his training to use. 

The following month, Tanzania confirmed its first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak. Within a few hours of the declaration, Dr Okwororo was deployed to Kagera region, the epicentre of the outbreak. He stayed there for three months, working in case management and IPC. 

“Because this was the first time we had this outbreak, it was such a difficult time as we needed to be extremely proactive,” he says. “Fortunately, we were just coming from the rapid response training, so I immediately relied on the lessons we were given. Honestly, that experience gave me lot of confidence and understanding on how to respond to outbreaks,” he says. 

When the current Marburg outbreak in Tanzania was confirmed in January 2025, it was an opportunity for Dr Okwororo to consolidate his skills. 

This time around he not only oversees case management and IPC, but also leads door-to-door community engagement, tracing and following up on contacts of cases, and ensuring that treatment centres are fit for purpose. He also provides information and guidelines to health workers working alongside him. 

“I sincerely thank WHO and the Ministry of Health for their strong collaboration. Ultimately our goal is to keep our country safe and ensure the well-being of everyone,” he says. 

Thanks to Dr Okwororo for sharing his story.