Dr. Ferdinand "Ferdie" Mukumbang is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Global Health. He is a Public Health scientist specializing in health policy and systems research with a specific focus on implementation sciences. His research career has evolved around understanding the dynamics and complexities of retention in care and adherence to antiretroviral medication among people living with HIV with a particular focus on adolescents living with HIV. As such, his current research focus is on developing and implementing antiretroviral treatment protocols for transitioning adolescents living with HIV from pediatric/adolescent HIV care to adult HIV care.
Dr. Mukumbang is also interested in the development and implementation of strategies to decolonize global health. His work in this area is relates to addressing issues of health inequities in global health. For instance, addressing issues of poor integration and consideration of refugees and migrants during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic – prevention (information and vaccination, treatment, and care).
Regarding methodological advancements in implementation sciences, he is particularly interested in the development and adoption of realist-informed research methods – critical realist theorizing, realist evaluation and realist synthesis and reviews – for evidence-based theorizing in health care and global health to unpack implementation outcomes. He has published several methodological papers in this regard.