Panel Discussion -Transforming treatment: DSD in action for HIV programmes

Dr. Joshua A Canul is Assistant Deputy Director for HIV, Tuberculosis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections at the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Belize. A Chevening Scholar (2023/2024), he holds a postgraduate qualification in Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology from University College London and earned his medical degree in Cuba. With over a decade in Belize's public health sector, he leads national HIV and TB strategies, strengthens surveillance systems, and advances prevention initiatives. Dr. Canul is committed to equity in health and believes that health is a fundamental human right.

Limairi Pott is the Community Outreach Officer with GoJoven Belize and has been contributing to the national HIV response for the past 3 years. She works closely with key populations, particularly men who have sex with men (MSM), to strengthen HIV prevention, testing, linkage to care, and treatment adherence. Limairi focuses on community engagement, peer education, and differentiated service delivery approaches that reduce stigma and improve access to services. Through strong partnerships with civil society and public health stakeholders, she supports community-led solutions. Limairi is commited to health advocacy and advancing inclusive, culturally responsive HIV interventions within Belize, emphasizing empowerment, confidentiality, data-driven outreach.

Dr. Marvin Arthurs is a Medical Officer and Surveillance and HIV Focal Point with the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Belize's Central Health Region, where he has worked for over five years. In this role, he supports HIV program implementation by integrating clinical care with epidemiological data. He has completed training in Field Epidemiology and in Measurement and Evaluation in Global Health. He also leads outbreak investigations in Belize City and has conducted research on HIV retention. He currently applies these skills to support national efforts to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and improve HIV care outcomes in Belize.

Dr. Olusola Oladeji is a public health physician with a Master of Public Health (MPH), a PhD in Community Health, and Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP), Faculty of Public Health. He has over 25 years of experience in health system strengthening primary health care including HIV and public health and nutrition emergencies across development, humanitarian, and post-conflict settings. His research interests span implementation science, health sustem strengthening, and primary health care, and he has authored more than 50 publications in peer-revieviewed journals. Dr. Oladeji is also a Fellow of the Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme.

Vidia Mai is an Anthropology student at Galen University and the Executive Director of the Lavender Alliance. As an Indigenous trans advocate, Vidia works closely with trans and gender-diverse communities, focusing on meeting basic needs and promoting dignity. Grounded in lived experience, their work centers a human-rights approach, with a commitment to ensuring their community can live safely, comfortably, and with equity.