Dr. Nyuma Mbewe is an Infectious Diseases (ID) Physician currently serving in the Department of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Her roles include oversight of the country’s Cholera Elimination Program, Clinical lead for COVID-19 Case Management, and coordination with other programs involved in Disease Control, Elimination, and Eradication. She is a mid-career scientist and has participated as a junior investigator in a large trial investigating the Virological Impact of Switching HIV-positive patients from Efavirenz or Nevirapine-based therapy to Dolutegravir (DTG)-based therapies – VISEND. Subsequently, she progressed to investigate the incidence of TB in these patients as a leading risk factor for viral non-suppression. I was also a co-investigator for a case report on Tuberculosis-Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (TB-IRIS) in a virologically suppressed patient switched to DTG and the influence of TB on advanced HIV mortality in admission. With the advent of COVID-19, I have been involved as an investigator in the COVID-19 seroprevalence study, the COVID-19 hospital outcomes study, and the bidirectional screening for TB and COVID-19. Currently, she is leading a team investigating Long COVID, and the synergistic interplay of TB, HIV, and NCDs in patients with a previous history of COVID-19. The hope is that by exploring different overlaps of the synergistic pandemics, we can implement new strategies to improve patient outcomes for co-afflicted patients.
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