Organization: Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes
Region: Africa
Nationality: Guinea-Bissau
Country: Guinea-Bissau
Interests & expertise: Co-infections (TB, hepatitis, STIs, etc.)
Profession or occupation: Healthcare worker/social service provider
What inspires you to work in the HIV field?
In Guinea-Bissau, there is a high rate of HIV, lack of health professionals trained to respond to demands, lack of research on HIV, existence of several complications and co-morbidities in people living with HIV that are underdiagnosed and often result in death, and an absence of awareness programmes, screening and clinical and therapeutic follow up. All of this makes me very interested in working in the field of HIV to promote further research and improvement of medical care.
What are your goals as an IAS change maker?
My goals as an IAS change maker are to:
1. Work in Guinea-Bissau.
2. Promote several investigations on HIV issues in collaboration with NGOs working in the area.
3. With community health agents, promote community intervention actions for sensitization, screening activities, and psychological and emotional follow up of clients.
4. Draft the action plan that aims to reduce the HIV index, abandonment of treatment and mortality, which will be executed in partnership with the government.
5. Expand the programme to raise awareness of the topic of HIV in schools.
6. Make more means of prevention available.
7. Train health technicians and facilitate early diagnosis.