Assistant Professor, Global Health, University of Washington
Dr. Ferdinand Mukumbang, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Global Health. He is a Public Health scientist specializing in health policy and systems research with a specific focus on implementation sciences. His research career has evolved around understanding the dynamics and complexities of retention in care and adherence to antiretroviral medication among people living with HIV with a particular focus on adolescents living with HIV. As such, his current research focus is on developing and implementing antiretroviral treatment protocols for transitioning adolescents living with HIV from pediatric/adolescent HIV care to adult HIV care.
Dr. Mukumbang is also interested in the development and implementation of strategies to decolonize global health. His work in this area relates to addressing issues of health inequities in global health. For instance, addressing issues of poor integration and consideration of refugees and migrants during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic – prevention (information and vaccination, treatment, and care).
Regarding methodological advancements in implementation sciences, he is particularly interested in the development and adoption of realist-informed research methods – critical realist theorizing, realist evaluation, and realist synthesis and reviews – for evidence-based theorizing in health care and global health to unpack implementation outcomes. He has published several methodological papers in this regard.
Publications
- Mukumbang, FC, Uribe, G, Eastwood, JG, Katz, I, Schneider, CH. Implementation of people-centred, integrated, and hybrid service delivery approaches in place-based initiatives: a scoping review protocol. Syst Rev. 2026; :. doi: 10.1186/s13643-026-03135-8. PubMed PMID:41776595 .
- Clark, N, Argüelles Bullón, A, Huq, M, Mukumbang, FC. Understanding integrated mental healthcare for people experiencing forced migration: a realist review protocol. BMJ Open. 2026;16 (3):e111367. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-111367. PubMed PMID:41775484 PubMed Central PMC12958985.
- Clark, N, Bullón, AA, Huq, M, Mukumbang, FC. Integrated mental health for refugees: A realist theory building study. PLOS Ment Health. 2026;3 (1):e0000547. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000547. PubMed PMID:41662124 PubMed Central PMC12857968.
- de Graef, N, Hertroijs, D, Mukumbang, FC, Westhorp, G, Cramm, JM, Ruwaard, D et al.. Understanding shared decision-making among patients with limited health literacy: a realist review protocol. Syst Rev. 2025;14 (1):250. doi: 10.1186/s13643-025-03039-z. PubMed PMID:41423643 PubMed Central PMC12750667.
- Mutua, MN, Mukumbang, FC. Understanding global health research collaborations: an Indigenous realist evaluation of the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence programme. BMJ Glob Health. 2025;10 (10):. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018738. PubMed PMID:41130741 PubMed Central PMC12551521.