Awa Marie Coll Seck has served as Minister of Health of the Republic of Senegal since 2012. She was Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RMB) from 2004-2011 and served as Director of the UNAIDS Department of Country and Regional Support from 1996-2001. She was Minister of Health and Prevention of Senegal from 2001 to 2003. Dr Coll Seck was elected as chairperson of Committee B of the World Health Assembly and also as president of the Assembly of the Ministries of Health of the West African Health Organization in 2002. She has been awarded numerous professional and academic honours, including the Knight of the Order of Merit of the French Republic, Chevalier, Ordre des Palmes académiques; Officer of the Order of Merit Senegalese; and Knight of the Order of Merit of Burkina Faso. She is an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences and Technologies of Senegal and is the author of more than 150 scientific publications.