Since 2018, the Mark Wainberg Fellowship Programme, an initiative of the IAS Educational Fund, has provided expert training in medical management of people living with HIV. It aims to contribute to improving HIV service delivery on the African continent and in Asia-Pacific. Meet a change maker who has completed the programme and hear about the personal impact of the fellowship.
“My experience as a Mark Wainberg Fellow was truly life changing.”
José Viriato, Angola, Class of 2019
My experience as a Mark Wainberg Fellow was truly life changing. I completed placements at Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical in Portugal and the Manhiça Health Research Centre in Mozambique, gaining an academic and practical understanding of the response to HIV, especially the care continuum for people living with HIV and the research process. I was also privileged to participate in two conferences organized by the IAS, where I met researchers from various nations and established international cooperations and friendships that still last.
After completing the fellowship, I returned to my country, Angola, where I serve as the HIV Program Coordinator on the USAID GHSC-PSM Angola Project, with a focus on logistics and supply chain management at Population Services International. My responsibility is to support the Ministry of Health in improving the logistics system, training technicians and acquiring and distributing supplies for the programme. Our commitment is to ensure that there is no shortage of essential products for HIV treatment and prevention. I also continue to see healthcare clients, equipped with the knowledge and skills gained during the fellowship.