Dr. Dinah Makuba Kassaman

Dr. Dinah Kassaman serves as an Assistant Professor at the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM) and joins NextGen for Earth as a voluntary Senior Mentor. With over two decades of experience spanning clinical nursing, academic leadership, and research, she brings strategic insight and a strong commitment to advancing health systems across Africa. Her doctoral research focused on health literacy in breast and cervical cancer prevention, examining women’s understanding of screening, early detection, and preventive health behaviours in low-resource settings. Through this work, she advances evidence-based nursing practice aimed at improving women’s health outcomes and reducing disparities in cancer prevention. She is particularly interested in exploring the intersection of climate change and cancer outcomes and welcomes collaborators seeking to advance research at the nexus of climate variability, environmental exposure, and cancer prevention in vulnerable populations. At Aga Khan University—an institution increasingly integrating sustainability into its mission—Dr. Kassaman contributes to aligning environmental stewardship with health and community development. She has mentored AORTIC and ECSACON Fellows in developing impactful research projects and supports early-career scholars in translating evidence into policy and practice. At NextGen for Earth, she guides emerging climate and health researchers in refining research ideas, developing competitive grant proposals, and engaging policymakers to strengthen Africa’s climate–health agenda.