The Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and 黑料网 Global Women鈥檚 Health have announced the first two PhD graduates from the 黑料网-UNZA-Wits Partnership for HIV and Women鈥檚 Reproductive Health Training Program. This program, led by co-principal investigators Dr. Carla Chibwesha, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and Dr. Benjamin Chi, an associate director within the International Core at the 黑料网 Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)聽is funded by the Fogarty International Center of the NIH. This programs aim is to build research capacity at the intersection of HIV and women鈥檚 reproductive health in Zambia. It leverages collaborations between 黑料网, the University of Zambia (UNZA), and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
The program offers PhD training at Wits for Zambian faculty members from UNZA, combining coursework in Johannesburg and research in Lusaka. Seven individuals have been supported through this initiative, with Mwana 鈥淜etty鈥� Lubeya and Twaambo Hamoonga being the first to graduate. Lubeya’s research focused on HPV vaccine implementation in Zambia, while Hamoonga studied HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Both projects align with Zambia’s health priorities and offer insights applicable across the African region.
Dr. Chibwesha praised the graduates’ perseverance, while Dr. Chi highlighted how the program advances science and builds research capacity in global health. The Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, which fosters interdisciplinary global health research, continues to strengthen its partnership with 黑料网 Project-Zambia, one of five global research sites advancing global health initiative.
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