Fentahun Shibesh, Belayneh

Position 
Research Intern
Nationality 
Ethiopia
At UNU-CRIS 
20/11/2023 to 30/04/2024
Biographical Statement 

Belayneh Fentahun Shibesh was a Research Intern at UNU-CRIS. He held a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, both of which he earned from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. Belayneh's comprehensive background in public health equipped him with the necessary skills to perform his work to the best of his ability. His academic journey was further enriched by his ongoing pursuit of a Master of Public Health in Disaster, specializing in research and epidemiology through the Erasmus Mundus programme jointly organized by the University of Oviedo, Spain, and the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. This program helped him refine his expertise in disaster-related public health.

With over a decade of professional experience, Belayneh significantly contributed to teaching, public health institutions, and non-governmental organizations. He served at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia and the CDC HIV project at the Amhara Regional Health Bureau in Ethiopia. Belayneh has five published articles covering infectious and non-infectious diseases, child and maternal health, and other public health issues. His research interests included disaster preparedness and planning, response and recovery, vulnerable populations, mental health, infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases, healthcare infrastructure, nature, climate change and health culture, and disaster cross-disciplinary collaboration.

At UNU-CRIS, his research was conducted under the guidance of Nidhi Nagabhatla, the coordinator of the Nature, Climate and Health Cluster. His work primarily focused on Climate and Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning, encompassing Risk Assessment and Management, Health Systems Strengthening, Community Engagement, and Capacity Building. Belayneh Fentahun Shibesh's commitment to addressing critical issues in public health, particularly in the context of disasters, underscored his significant contributions to the field.