Kumbukani Chawinga

Kumbukani Chawinga
Senior HIV Testing Advisor

A public health specialist with over 10 years of practical experience with international health and HIV/AIDS programs, Mr Chawinga worked with the Malawi MOHP for six years as a Clinician and Health Coordinator and five years with NGOs focusing on HIV and TB. He has over five years of technical leadership roles, including Medical Activity manager in prisons and HIV services for sex workers. In these roles he led teams of technical officers to ensure optimization of HTS services in clinics, case finding and adequate referrals. He also managed clinical teams and mobilized resources during mass screenings and treatments. He provided supervision and participated in screening and management of HTS for prisoners at entry, stay and exit. As medical officer for the Malawi MOHP, he directly managed ART Clinics, initiated ARVs, managed side effects and switched failing patients to second line regimen when appropriate. He has over three years of specific large-scale community-based HTS program experience, including supervising Counselor Educators at community hotspots when conducting HIV testing for FSW (Young and Adults) and facilitating microplanning sessions to identify the hot spots with community members, hands-on experience conducting outreach clinics with counselors and supervising and coaching community health volunteers for improved HTS. He facilitated and supervised a study on the acceptability of a peer-educator driven model of HIVST kit distribution at community level among FSW in Mwanza and Dedza, in Malawi. Mr. Chawinga has conducted VAPN at clinical and community level; he provided technical support to One Stop Clinics in southern Malawi on index testing specifically. He has experience with CS and clinical training of health personnel for improved service delivery in resource-challenged settings: for three years, he provided TA and mentorship to prison health personnel on opportunistic infections and ART administration and referrals. He also provided on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship on HIV/SRH/TB to MOHP staff.

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