South African speaker Mandisa Mbali to discuss global health issues

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There are “forgotten” diseases that ravage places around the world.

Mandisa Mbali hopes to change the issue and raise awareness among the global health community.

Mbali, a South African Yale University postdoctoral associate, is speaking today at Central Michigan University about diseases in poor countries and how universities and students can help.

“I think it is critical to act and students can really make a difference,” she said.

Mbali’s message takes place at 7 p.m. today in the Education and Human Services Building’s French Auditorium with a meet-and-greet at 6:20 p.m.

The CMU Chapter of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines brought Mbali to campus because of its interest in her global health message.

Nepal senior Pratik Chhetri is the UAEM International Chapter outreach coordinator and said Mbali is an excellent candidate to talk to the university.

“We’re really impressed by her interaction with global health issues and her knowledge in this area,” Chhetri said.

The discussion will revolve around two main issues: the need for universal access to HIV treatment and the university’s role in lowering pharmaceutical drug costs.

“The university can connect with pharmacy to conduct a clinical trial and if a generic drug is made it creates that competition and drives down prices,” Mbali said.

One of the points Mbali will speak on is how expensive HIV/AIDS treatment has been in the past.

“AIDS drugs were more expensive than they are now, and activism around an issue can make a difference,” she said.

Students especially should familiarize themselves with issues and see what they can do. It is a fundamental ethical issue that everyone has a right and access to health care, she said.

Fremont junior Kaitlin Carlson is the UAEM president and hopes people come out to learn more about global health.

“They can find out what they can do and overall universities should do to help with global health issues,” Carlson said. “Our universities and the students have the opportunity and responsibility to improve global health.”