Science, Humanity, and Hope
On October 8, 2025, Conversations in Health: Global to Local students had the honor of speaking with Cameroonian-American virologist and renowned global health leader John Nkengasong, Ph.D. Convening in Maguire Hall, Nkengasong guided us through his journey as a diplomat in global health.
Nkengasong earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Yaoundé in Cameroon, followed by a Master of Science in Tropical Biomedical Science at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. He then obtained a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences with a specialization in Virology from the University of Brussels. After completing his education, he joined the World Health Organization as chief of the Virology Laboratory and later served as chief of the Virology Laboratory at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A poignant moment in our conversation was Nkengasong’s work in Africa as the first director of the Africa CDC. He described this time in his career in vivid detail. Reflecting on his early days in the role, Nkengasong spoke with enthusiasm and amusement, remarking that he “never walked into a job that was already there.” Despite limited resources, Nkengasong accomplished significant milestones in this position, transforming the Africa CDC into an autonomous health agency of the African Union and mobilizing public health investment in health emergencies such as Ebola and COVID-19. The conversation progressed to Nkengasong’s role as the United States Global AIDS coordinator, where he managed efforts such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the establishment of the Bureau of Global Health Security & Diplomacy. He currently serves as executive director for higher education, collaboratives, and strategic initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation.
The Q&A session was filled with curiosity, with questions ranging from the use of artificial intelligence in infectious disease research to the development of a vaccine for HIV. Many students were especially interested in the goal of HIV eradication given Nkengasgong’s longstanding vision to bring the HIV epidemic under control by 2030.
Nkengasong stated that there are three pillars crucial to disease eradication: effective diagnosis, therapeutics, and vaccines. While the development of an HIV vaccine by 2030 is not feasible, the power of mRNA platform technologies offers promising new avenues for designing vaccines that bring us closer to effective prevention.
Nkengasong also addressed the dismantling of USAID. Students expressed concern at the regression of the United States as a key leader in global health and disease control, creating a vacuum that threatens to reverse years of progress in disease prevention, weaken global health security, and leave vulnerable populations at greater risk. When asked how he foresees the global leadership landscape evolving in the eradication of HIV and other major infectious diseases in the near future, Nkengasong emphasized collective responsibility and diplomacy, stressing that we must “cooperate, collaborate, and communicate” to achieve change.
Nkengasong’s commitment to equity, humanitarianism, and investment in locally-led and global systems addresses disparities in treatment access and the need to continuously build lasting health security, encouraging future health care professionals to understand that local change is the catalyst for broader reform.
Ashley Gregor (N’27) is an undergraduate student majoring in nursing at Georgetown University.