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Dear colleagues,
This year has brought significant uncertainty across the global health landscape. On behalf of the Global Programs Board, we want to express our sincere appreciation to our Global Programs staff for their adaptability, resilience, and dedication to improving health worldwide.
As we navigate these challenging conditions, we remain confident in the essential role Global Programs plays in UCSF’s international research and training efforts. In the coming months, we anticipate receiving further guidance from our federal sponsors regarding funding levels, priorities, and policies for global health activities. Your work remains central to UCSF’s ability to operate internationally.
In alignment with the recently completed IGHS 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, Global Programs is a key component of our global operations support services, and your day-to-day work to meet the evolving needs of our international research projects remains fundamental to our success.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment.
Jenny Liu, PhD, MPP
Director and Professor of Health Economics, Institute for Health & Aging
Chair, Global Programs Board
Payam Nahid, MD, MPH
Executive Director, Institute for Global Health Sciences
Secretary, Global Programs Board
| | Board of Directors: New Members | | |
As Chair of the Global Programs Board, Jenny Liu continues to guide the program’s strategic direction after four years of service as Vice Chair. Her work spans health economics, policy, and systems strengthening in low-resource settings, with a focus on advancing equitable access to care worldwide.
Monica Gandhi (Vice Chair) is a Professor of Medicine and a globally recognized infectious diseases specialist focused on HIV, public health, and health equity. She directs the UCSF Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General.
Mae Moredo (Director) is a senior administrative and operations leader at UCSF with extensive experience supporting global health programs and international research. She oversees strategic planning, governance, and operational coordination for Global Programs.
Global Programs also extends its gratitude to George Rutherford (Chair) and Winona Ward (Director) for their many years of dedicated service to the board.
| | Global Programs Spotlight | | |
10 Years of Service: Njeri Wahome, Director of Finance and Operations, Global Programs Kenya
Where did ten years go?
In October 2015, my journey at Global Programs for Research & Training began with a desire to contribute to work that matters. Coming from an established international program, I was excited to join the small team laying the foundation for this NGO. From fitting out our first office while using my personal email to reach suppliers and prospective staff, to setting up the internal accounting function, I am grateful for the chance to be stretched in ways I never imagined. I am most grateful for the people I have had the honour of calling colleagues, and some even friends. I am thankful for the camaraderie with the IRSO team and for the research teams at UCSF and across Kenya whose work we support. As our wider NGO community faces change, I hold this milestone with quiet appreciation. I am thankful for the years behind me and trusting God for what lies ahead.
Njeri Muthoga Wahome
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Kenya:
Advancing TB Care in Sub-Saharan Africa - TB-DASH Regional Workshop
| | The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional TB-DASH Workshop, led by the IGHS Center for Tuberculosis and held in Nairobi, Kenya (October 14-15), brought together community groups, healthcare workers, and health systems actors to share lessons learned, explore strategies to overcome barriers to TB care, and identify practical approaches to strengthen TB services and outcomes across the region. Global Programs Kenya provided operational support before, during, and after the workshop. | | |
Kenya:
Tracking HIV Incidence through Recency Testing
The IGHS Center for Global Strategic Information and Public Health Practice (GSI) is supporting Kenya's new HIV incidence tracking initiative by using HIV recency testing on routine remnant pre-ART viral load samples from newly diagnosed pregnant and postpartum women. Launched in September 2025, the project began with nationwide training for viral load laboratory staff, with mop-up sessions underway to ensure full readiness across all labs.
Global Programs staff have worked closely with the Ministry of Health and the US CDC to help county and facility teams implement consistent pre-ART sample collection. This effort strengthens Kenya’s HIV surveillance system and reflects Global Programs’ continued commitment to data-driven epidemic control and public health impact.
| | Tanzania:
ACCESS Assessment Completed in Kagera and Geita Regions | | The Tanzania team recently completed an ACCESS assessment in Kagera and Geita. ACCESS, Assessing Community Centered Strategies for Effective HIV Service Solutions, examines how well HIV services reach specific groups and the factors that shape their use. This assessment focused on fishing and mining communities and the healthcare providers who support these highly mobile populations, exploring service access, community preferences, and key health indicators. The project included surveys, in-depth interviews, follow-up phone surveys, key informant interviews, and geographic mapping. Participation was strong across both regions, with more than 670 survey participants and 70 interview participants from communities and healthcare facilities. Findings will help strengthen community centered HIV service delivery strategies for these underserved populations. | | |
The ACCESS field team making their way across Lake Victoria to carry out assessments in remote fishing communities.
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A small-scale mining site in the Geita Region, one of the locations included in the ACCESS assessment.
| | | Tanzania:
Enhanced Adherence Counseling Assessment | |
Global Programs field supervisors and facility-based staff who helped carry out the EAC assessment.
Last summer, the Tanzania team conducted an Enhanced Adherence Counseling (EAC) Assessment across 27 facilities in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Mbeya, following a training that prepared teams to assess EAC implementation and documentation. Teams reviewed paper-based and electronic EAC records and spoke with above-site experts, facility providers, and recipients of care who had experienced challenges with EAC.
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These interviews and observations offered key insights into how services are delivered and the factors influencing documentation and follow-up. Findings will assist in program planning, strengthen mentorship, and improve the quality of EAC services, ultimately supporting better adherence and viral suppression outcomes.
On-site data collection team members in Morogoro and Mbeya.
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IRSO Reorganization
As of July 1, 2025, the International Research Support Operations (IRSO) Office transitioned from the Office of Research to IGHS. IRSO, established in 2020, supports UCSF’s international work and oversees Global Programs offices in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Moving IRSO under IGHS strengthens coordination, compliance, and support for global research. IRSO will continue serving the full campus and partnering closely with central administrative offices.
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IGHS 25th Anniversary Celebration:
Charting the Future of Global Health
The 25th Anniversary Celebration brought together global health leaders from more than 80 countries, deans from all four UCSF schools, and partners from around the world to honor a shared legacy and envision a future of impact. Keynote speaker John Nkengasong, distinguished guest Mamphela Ramphele, and special guest W. Kamau Bell were joined by IGHS leadership, UCSF faculty, global partners, and alumni for a day of thoughtful conversations and presentations.
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Chancellor’s State of the University Address
Chancellor Sam Hawgood recently delivered Continuum, highlighting UCSF’s achievements over the past year and its drive to innovate for the future. He emphasized the need to move toward "The Second Curve," a strategic shift to ensure continued growth, renewal, and leadership in research, education, and patient care. The address affirmed UCSF’s momentum and commitment to advancing health worldwide. See the address on YouTube.
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Launch of the Center for Malaria and Vector-Borne Diseases
More than 120 researchers, trainees, and public health partners gathered for the Center’s launch symposium. Keynotes by Fredros Okumu and Catherine Maiteki-Sebuguzi highlighted the global burden of vector-borne diseases and the growing impact of climate change on transmission. The program included speakers from academia, government, and industry, as well as 26 lightning talks from early-career investigators, showcasing current research, collaboration opportunities, and support for emerging leaders.
| | Global Programs offices will be closed from Monday, December 22 through Monday, January 5. | | Created by the IRSO Office at UCSF, the Global Programs Update is sent to Global Programs staff and selected UCSF audiences. Submit feedback and content suggestions to irso@ucsf.edu. | | | | | |
