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Professor of public health and human rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “He is a very strong public health leader with many years of experience and will provide great connectivity to African leaders and community partners,” said Chris Beyrer. . (Dr. Beyrer was on a short list of candidates for the position.)
PEPFAR, the largest public health program in the United States, was initiated by President George W. Bush in 2003. Since its inception, the US government has invested more than $85 billion in more than 50 countries, saving an estimated 20 million lives.
Funds distributed by the program are used to support prevention programs, testing and antiretroviral therapy for HIV. Some managers are heavily tasked with setting priorities for African countries, so Dr. A leader like Nkengasong who is known and trusted by Africans is a welcome change, experts said.
“Having a figure known both in the US and around the world and in Africa is a sign that they take it seriously, understand that it is really important to elevate African leadership,” said Gregg Gonsalves. Longtime HIV activist and epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health.
Dr. The prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis is high in Cameroon, the country where Nkengasong was born. He voiced his support for educating local scientists and doctors to lead public health and research across the continent. He helped found the African Laboratory Medicine Association in 2011.
Dr. Nkengasong was knighted by the government of Cameroon in November 2018 for his contributions to public health. He serves as a consultant to the Coalition for Outbreak Preparedness Innovations and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, among others. for him Leadership in the Covid-19 pandemicHe was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2021.
Dr. The only downside to Nkengasong’s leading PEPFAR is that it is also necessary to combat other infectious disease efforts in Africa, said Mr Gonsalves: “This is a loss for the African CDC.”
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