Dr Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão currently serves as Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance at Brazil’s Ministry of Health.
With over three decades of service in the Brazilian public health system, Dr Simão has pioneered advances in health policy, enhancing equitable access and decentralising health services across the country. Guided by an enduring commitment to health equity, her work has continuously bridged national public health priorities with global health diplomacy, shaping both national policy and global health agendas.
From 2006 to 2010, as Director of the National STD/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Department, Dr Simão led decisive negotiations with pharmaceutical companies that dramatically reduced the cost of HIV TREATMENT. During this tenure, she also represented Brazil in the negotiations that led to the constitution of UNITAID. Her influence has extended to prominent roles on the international stage. At the World Health Organization (WHO), she served as Assistant Director‑General for Access to Medicines AND OTHER HEALTH PRODUCTS, where she championed innovative strategies to expand the availability of essential medicines and vaccines worldwide.
She was trained as a paediatrician in Brazil and holds an MSc degree in public health from University of London, United Kingdom.