Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Dyuti Sen

Dyuti in her current role as Technical Project Manager at WHO Afro

DYuti Sen (IHTM 2022)

Technical Project Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Congo Brazzaville

Background

I grew up in Kolkata, India, and studied Economics at Loreto College, where I developed a strong interest in development economics. 

My motivation to understand the realities beyond data and theory led me to the India Fellow Social Leadership Programme, a fellowship offering a 13-month placement in grassroots organisations in India.

As a fellow, I worked with 'Innovators in Health', a public health non-governmental organisation (NGO) in rural Bihar, focused on reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and improving access to tuberculosis (TB) care. 

What began as a one-year fellowship evolved into a five-year journey. I have led several major initiatives, including the Stop TB Partnership’s TB REACH Wave 7 project on gender and TB and a Gates Foundation-funded project aimed at expanding at-birth immunisation coverage in India. I also contributed to organisational change by developing gender-equitable policies and overseeing communications and advocacy.

This experience provided me with a strong foundation in public health and community engagement and equipped me with a wide range of skills, from project management and donor engagement to team-building and field operations in low-resource settings.

Why IHTM?

While exploring master’s programmes, I knew I wanted an interdisciplinary course that would not only strengthen my technical understanding of healthcare delivery but also deepen my knowledge of research, epidemiology, and the social determinants of health. IHTM stood out among the options I considered. 

Alongside academic rigour, the course emphasises communication, leadership, and global networking. I was particularly drawn to the health systems and impact evaluation modules, which provided me with practical and robust frameworks for analysing the design, effectiveness, and implementation of public health interventions.

One of the key attractions of IHTM is its commitment to cohort-based, peer-led learning. Studying alongside colleagues from 18 different countries, I learned as much from their unique perspectives and lived experiences as from Oxford’s exceptional faculty. 

For my master’s thesis, I worked with the Health Systems Collaborative (HSC) and the KEMRI Wellcome Trust in Kenya, to evaluate the adoption of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a non-invasive respiratory support intervention, in newborn care settings. The project allowed me to apply newly acquired qualitative research methods and deepened my understanding of the systemic enablers and barriers to technology uptake in low-resource settings. 

These experiences continue to shape my approach to global health. 

Impact

After completing the MSc, I returned to India energised and full of ideas. My first project involved strengthening human resources for health, where I contributed to revising affiliation policies for nursing institutes in Uttar Pradesh. I then took on a consultancy role with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) country office in Timor-Leste where I supported elimination efforts for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and contributed to the country’s progress towards malaria elimination certification.

Parallel to these professional roles, I remained engaged in policy-relevant health research, a passion sparked during the IHTM MSc. I co-authored a paper on the role of pharmacies in primary care and wrote an op-ed addressing challenges to universal health coverage (UHC) in India. Building on this experience, I have gone on to work with the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), contributing to systematic reviews and evidence gap maps on health, climate change, and biodiversity.

I currently work with the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) as a Technical Project Manager for the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN). In this role, I oversee grant management, support advocacy and resource mobilisation efforts, and coordinate efforts across technical teams, donors, implementing partners, and countries to reach NTD elimination targets in the region.

I credit IHTM for giving me the confidence and equipping me with the skills to collaborate in global, cross-cultural teams and facilitating my transition from grassroots work in India to my current role within a UN agency.  

Last Word

“In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming and divided, the IHTM community and its core values of equity and solidarity have become a steady anchor for me, shaping how I think, work, and make decisions in both my personal and professional journey."

In this section