“Studying medicine is a social responsibility to these students. In that sense, The Catholic University of Mozambique – UCM supports them throughout their academic career both professionally and personally. One day, they won’t just be the health professionals of Mozambique but also responsible citizens, active members of their community.”
Francesco Segala – infectious disease specialist, arrived in Beira in November. He serves as coordinator for relations between CUAMM and UCM. In recent months, upon request from UCM’s pedagogical board, Francesco took charge of the infectious diseases module, working in the classroom with third-year students and supporting them as a tutor.
It was an opportunity to understand how the educational structure functions, how practical activities are defined, but above all, to build relationships with the students.
“As tutors and professors, we have a duty to nurture in them a sense of responsibility that will be essential in their medical profession,” says Francesco. “It’s truly a joy when you realize you’ve succeeded.”
Francesco truly did succeed, in his own way. He realized this a few weeks ago when he engaged his class in a focus group on the issue of HIV-related stigma.
“It’s extremely important to talk about it, because stigma ends up compromising the social aspects of everyone’s life, with serious consequences for the mental health of those living with the virus,” explains Francesco. He continues: “I started by sharing my own experience, and admitting that, without really realizing it, I too was influenced by stigma for a long time. It’s a fact that an HIV test is scarier than a complete blood count (CBC) which is considered “just a blood test” — but why?”
Mozambique is one of the countries with the highest number of people living with HIV. According to UNAIDS data (2025), there are about 2.4 million people, of which 2 million are on antiretroviral therapy.
“Knowing your HIV status is essential in order to live with the virus and prevent transmission. Moreover, antiretroviral therapy is simple: you just have to take one pill a day. That’s enough to reduce the viral load to zero, with adherence to treatment over time.”
And yet, the fear of the virus is real, especially among young people. Francesco tackled it in a university classroom, creating a safe space for his students.
“The class already knew about HIV from a clinical standpoint — they had studied it in lectures,” Francesco explains. “They didn’t need me to tell them how the virus is transmitted or how the therapy works. What I hoped to do — and what we managed to achieve together — was to create a open debate like a confession. In that way, we were able to see that the stigma was right there, among us. Despite it being difficult, we now know that overcoming the taboo and disrupting the stigma is possible through awareness”.
