Climate Change and Health Leaders Fellowship Training Program

Ms. Stephanie Cheuk-Alam

Stephanie Cheuk-Alam, MSc

2021 – 2022

Climate Change and Health Leadership Fellow

Stephanie Cheuk-Alam is currently head of the Environmental Inspectorate at the Bureau of Public Health, which resides under the Ministry of Health in Suriname.

She is a young professional with an environmental background, complemented by a Masters of Science in public health from the Anton de Kom University in Suriname in collaboration with the Tulane University School of Public Health. Her interest in the impacts of environmental determinants on health are what led her to choose a career in the health sector.

As head of the environmental inspectorate she is responsible for sanitation and hygiene inspections, water quality monitoring, vector control, outbreak investigation, port health and all environment and health related issues in Suriname.

Her contributions to Suriname include the formulation and review of technical guidelines and other documentation, supporting the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of interventions, training field professionals and technical staff and providing them with technical assistance, as well as monitoring and supervising their work. Noteworthy, she was instrumental in the strengthening and integrating of the analysis of epidemiological surveillance and vector surveillance and control information across the country. Ms. Cheuk-Alam also took the lead in setting up port health screening for Covid-19 at existing posts at the airports and seaports but also set up 2 new port health posts at the river borders with Guyana and French Guyana. She is also the focal point at the health sector on climate change aspects. 

She has a passion for water and is currently interested in expanding the water quality monitoring program of the Bureau of Public Health to be able to collect more data on the effect’s climate change is having on drinking water in Suriname. This data will allow the different government authorities in Suriname to write evidence-based policy which will aid in guaranteeing safe drinking water for all.

From January 2020 to August 2020 she was a member of the National Public Health Response Team (NPHRT) which was responsible for preparing Suriname for the looming threat of Covd-19. This team was led by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and consisted of different stakeholder within the Ministry of Health. She was also member of the quick response team consisting of some members of the NPHRT and the national police, and was tasked with locating reported suspect cases of Covid-19 and in the field contact tracing. 

Outside of the office Ms. Cheuk-Alam is a certified swim instructor and FINA technical swimming official.