Leonard Solai

Leonard Solai leads the global product access program to ensure that the first long-acting, woman controlled, HIV prevention product, the dapivirine vaginal ring, is available and accessible to women where it’s urgently needed. Solai has more than 25 years of experience working in the public health sector across multiple African countries. He has cultivated longstanding relationships with a variety of stakeholders working in HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights, including advocates, civil society, media, governments, and donors in the southern and eastern African countries most affected by HIV/AIDS. During his 15-year tenure at the International Partnership for Microbicides, an affiliate of the Population Council, he has leveraged these relationships to build a conducive environment for microbicide research and currently, for product introduction and access.

Prior to joining IPM, he led large scale knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behavioural studies in response to the MDR / XDR TB outbreaks in southern Africa and then worked with public health organizations to design regional interventions. Solai has also led product introduction programs for antimalarial drugs in central and western Africa.

Solai holds a Bachelor of Science in Medicine (Honours) degree, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and Erasmus University, Netherlands.