The Union Courses Online

Dr Chen-Yuan Chiang. Dr Chiang is a senior consultant of The Union and professor of medicine of Taipei Medical University. He was a member of the core group of Global drug-resistant tuberculosis initiative (GDI) and the Western Pacific Regional GLC. Currently, he serves on Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis in the Western Pacific Region of WHO. He has provided technical assistance to several national TB programmes in Asia and Africa. Dr. Chiang has previously coordinated and facilitated several international and national courses on clinical and programmatic management of drug-resistant TB.

Dr Mar Mar Htay. Dr. Mar Mar Htay started working in the public health filed soon after her graduation from the Medical University. She had dedicated her career life to TB control activities by working as a District TB team leader for 10 years in Magway Region. After getting the diploma for TB and Chest Disease, she worked as the State TB officer of Rakhine State for over three years and another three years as the Regional TB officer of Ayeyarwaddy Region. Then, she was assigned to be the Senior Consultant (TB) of Aung San TB Specialty hospital for two years during which she took care of many DR-TB patients including difficult clinical cases. After 20 years of service in TB control, she retired. But her enthusiasm for TB care and prevention made her to resume her career in a Local NGO called MHAA supporting the National TB Program. After a while, she joined WHO-TB team in Myanmar to be a National Technical Officer (MDR-TB). She has been providing clinical consultations in MDR-TB clinics of Yangon Region, giving advice to junior doctors of the Aung San TB specialty hospital, and taking part in many clinical meetings. She also gives trainings for basic health staff and for medical doctors specifically to roll out shorter regimens, and to monitor and manage adverse effects.

Dr Rebecca Lin. Taiwan-based Rebecca Chou-Jui Lin is a pulmonologist working in Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare and one of the lead physicians of the five MDRTB teams in Taiwan. Rebecca has also participated in DRTB workshops and technical assistance in Vietnam and the Philippines. Over the years, her patients had taught her how to appreciate simple but important things in life: a genuine smile, a few kind words, and a cup of good coffee, from which we can all find courage to move on.

Dr Ignacio Monedero (Nacho) is a medical doctor with more than 20 years of clinical practice. For the past 16 years, he has worked in the programmatic and clinical management of TB working in more than 30 countries. After graduating from medical school, Nacho worked for two years in Sub-Saharan Africa in TB and HIV, and then did an MSc on Public Health. In 2008, Nacho joined the Union as a TB-HIV and DR-TB consultant, delivering since then more than 45 clinical trainings. He is the author of more than 30 peer reviewed publications and collaborator of Union and WHO guidelines. Nacho works internationally for the Union and WHO and holds several academic and clinical positions in Spain (including the management of Covid-19 outbreaks). Nacho is a core member of the GDI and a member or EMRO rGLC.

Dr Thein Myint is a National Technical Officer for the TB Unit of the World Health Organisation in Myanmar. After obtaining a degree in TB and Chest Disease (Dip.Med.Sc) in 2012, he worked on the programmatic and clinical management of DR-TB at the National Tuberculosis Programme (Myanmar). Dr. Myint is one of the lead TB specialists. He has participated in the implementation of injection-based shorter treatment regimen in Myanmar under the NTP leadership and with WHO support. Dr. Myint has facilitated many trainings on the clinical management of DR- TB for clinicians in Myanmar and the implementation of injection-based regimens and oral regimens. He joined WHO (TB-unit) Myanmar in 2020 providing technical inputs for the amendment of the National DR-TB guidelines and support to the National TB Programme.

Dr Aye Thida. Dr Aye Thida is a National Professional Officer (MDR-TB/ TB/HIV) of WHO country office-Myanmar. She was the medical coordinator of Medecins du Monde (MDM in Myanmar) and the deputy head of office of The Union (Myanmar). During her career life in INGOs, her passion for TB and HIV control activities grew. She studied Master of Clinical tropical medicine in Mahidol University and mater of public health (Disease Control) in ITM (Antwerp). Currently, she serves as the Technical Focal Point on Drug-resistant Tuberculosis in WHO-TB (Myanmar) and provides secretariat support to the National Expert DR-TB Committee. She has provided technical advice and assistance to NTP-Myanmar, coordinated, and provided technical assistance to update National DR-TB guidelines and given trainings on DR-TB at national level and sub-national levels.