Patricia J. García, MD, MPH, PhD
Former Minister of Health, Peru
Former Chief of the Peruvian National Institute of Health
Professor and former Dean of the School of Public Health at Cayetano Heredia University, Lima-Peru
Member, US National Academy of Medicine
Dr. Garcia is recognized as a leader in Global Health. She is the former Minister of Health of Peru, Dean of the School of Public Health at UPCH, and former Chief of the Peruvian National Institute of Health (INS). She has been member of the PAHO Foundation’s Technical Advisory Group (FTAG), board member of the Consortium of Universities in Global Health and President of the Latin American Association Against STDs (ALACITS). She has served in a number of roles with Via Libre, an NGO focused on prevention, treatment, research and advocacy in the area of HIV and STIs, as a volunteer physician, associate member, and member of the Board.
As Minister of Health, Dr. Garcia introduced emergency contraception and contraception for adolescents through the public sector. She implemented new guidelines for cervical cancer screening including molecular testing, HPV vaccination, labelling of processed food (towards prevention of non- communicable diseases), and introduction of electronic medical records.
Her research interests include drug and vaccine development and strengthening health systems. She is actively involved in research and training in Global Health, reproductive health, STI/HIV, HPV self-sampling, and medical informatics. Dr. Garcia contributed to the introduction of Point of Care Diagnostics (i.e. for congenital syphilis) and the introduction of a rapid Dengue test during a 2017 disease outbreak associated with the El Niño event.
She was appointed as a member of the United States National Academy of Medicine, becoming the first Peruvian professional with such a distinction. She is affiliate Professor of the Department of Global Health, at University of Washington and of the School of Public Health at Tulane University.