Why opportunistic infections still matter in the HIV response - Part 1

Omar Sued is a medical doctor who has been working in HIV since 1997 in different countries and settings, including public and private hospitals, health centres, prisons and NGOs. Omar is an enthusiastic supporter of the IAS values advocating for prioritizing evidence-based interventions with a focus on human rights for people living with HIV. Omar is a part of the International AIDS Society as a Governing council member and works as an HIV Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Pan-American Health Organization Headquarters in Washington DC, US.

Mehdi Karkouri, a Professor of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Morocco, is also a Governing Council member of the International AIDS Society, where he serves as a representative for MENA. He is also the President of the community-based, grassroots Association de Lutte Contre le Sida (ALCS), responding to HIV and viral hepatitis in Morocco with a presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Mehdi is the principal investigator and co-researcher for several studies conducted in Morocco and the MENA region. His research interests focus on access to services, especially for key populations, HIV testing and self-testing, and stigma and discrimination.

Pasqualotto is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at UFCSPA and Medical Director of the Molecular Biology Laboratory at Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, where he also leads the Infectious Diseases Service. He coordinates Brazil’s National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Molecular Diagnosis and has published over 200 papers and book chapters, including a reference book on aspergillosis. With strong interest in public health, he serves as a focal point for PAHO studies in Brazil and has been active in managing advanced HIV disease, particularly opportunistic infections. He is also President of the local Infectious Diseases Society.

Dr. Pierrotti is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of São Paulo (USP). She is the Coordinator of the ID Committee of the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation (ABTO) and is a permanent member of the Brazilian Standing Committee on Bio surveillance. Dr. Lígia is also a member of the ID Committee of the National Transplant Program coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Currently, she serves as Associate Editor of Transplant International Journal. Her research focuses on the epidemiology, prevention, and management of infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Javier Hourcade Bellocq is a communicator and journalist with more than 36 years of work on HIV and AIDS, most recently working on other health issues. He is the creator and founder of the Equipo de Corresponsales Clave, a community journalism initiative of more than 20 years and coverage in the region. She has worked in local, regional and international NGOs. He has advised Global Health Institutions and is currently an International Advisor to the Pan American Health Organization in the program of advanced HIV disease, elimination and combined prevention of HIV. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria.