Dr Mariângela Simão joined WHO in November 2017, as part of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General’s leadership team. She previously worked for UNAIDS since September 2010 and prior to that, she worked for the Ministry of Health in Brazil as the Director of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis department. She worked in the Brazilian public health system since 1982, from the primary health care level to a series of managerial positions throughout the years. As a public health professional, at municipal, state and national levels, she played an active role in the decentralization of the national health system, acquiring an extensive experience in health system strengthening. She has also served on the boards of a number of organizations and government committees related to public health and HIV. Heading the National Sexually Transmitted Diseases/HIV/AIDS Department (including Viral Hepatitis from 2009), she had the responsibility of overseeing and implementing the national Sexually Transmitted Diseases/AIDS/Viral Hepatitis policies, including universal and free of charge access to treatment, care and comprehensive prevention programs. Dr Simão attended medical school in Brazil, with degrees in Paediatrics and Public Health, and a MSc in Mother and Child Health in the UK.

MONTH	DATE	TIME	SESSION	SESSION TITLE
Jan 2021	29 Jan	21.00- 22.00 (BKK)	PL0	Politics, Political Economy, and History: Major Trends Shaping the COVID-19 Pandemic