Vernon Murenje
- Programme Manager, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC)
- Queen Mary, University of London, Health
Biography
Vernon grew up in an impoverished rural area of Zimbabwe where he would travel 7 km each way to access primary education. Thanks to huge sacrifices from his family to pay his school fees, and his own hard work and determination to succeed, Vernon managed to qualify as a medical doctor from the University of Zimbabwe in 2006. Having worked for several years as a Medical Officer on HIV prevention clinical trials, Vernon witnessed the grave impact of the disease and became determined to pursue further studies in Public Health policy. Having completed his postgraduate degree, Vernon is now in a position to pass on and apply his knowledge towards improving the health of marginalised Zimbabwean communities. Vernon’s current role is to provide strategic programmatic and technical leadership to the I-TECH Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) program, a key aspect of Zimbabwe’s HIV prevention strategy.
Greatest Achievement
Playing a key role in a national project to reduce HIV transmission rates
Professional Interests
Public Health in developing countries, HIV prevention