Associate Member’s exciting appointment

Dr Noor Shah Kamawal was originally a member of Carlton Rotary Club in 2011-2012 when he completed a Masters in Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne as a recipient of an Australian Government Scholarship. Dr Kamawal graduated from Nangarhar University, Jalalabad, Afghanistan with a Degree in Medicine in 2007.

From 2008 to 2021, he held many roles with the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan as the Coordinator for the AIDS program; Director for Health System Strengthening; CEO for the National Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority; and Director General for Afghanistan National Public Health Institute.

Dr Kamawal has been appointed as Technical Adviser at the Nossal Institute for Global Health within the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne. His research interests are focused on communicable diseases, evaluation of regulatory systems and gap analysis for health system engineering.

He and his wife and seven children left Afghanistan shortly after the Taliban seized Kabul last year. The family was one of many Afghan refugee families who settled in Australia. Unsure as to whether Dr Kamawal and his family would be staying in Melbourne or moving to Brisbane, he was re-admitted into Carlton Rotary in September 2021 as an Associate Member. However, his appointment at the Nossal Institute means that he will be able to settle back into life in Melbourne. His life’s journey has been quite a story of courage, perseverance and resilience. The Carlton Rotary Club welcomes him home and his family.

Carlton Rotary plans to hold regular fortnightly Luncheon Meetings at Graduate House, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton commencing on February Tuesday 8 at 12.30pm for a 1pm start. Visitors and prospective members are always welcome and can contact President Keith Ryall at the email address below.

The first Social Meeting for 2022 was a Barefoot Bowls night at the Thornbury Bowls Club on February, Tuesday 1 at 5.30pm. For all Rotary events COVID safe practices are followed in line with the procedures.

The Club thanks all the donors, supporters and buyers of books, as well as a small army of willing volunteers, who contributed to another very successful Book Fair held last December. This enables the Club to continue to make donations to worthy local, national and international causes. A full list of the causes and charities supported by Carlton Rotary will appear in the March Inner City News •