Anange Fred Lwilla

Project Title

Costs and cost-effectiveness of a combined programmatic intervention for management of infants at high-risk for vertical HIV transmission versus standard of care in Mozambique and Tanzania

Research Interest(s)

My project will be nested on a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial that is conducted in Mozambique and Tanzania primary health facilities. This implementation study measures the impact of a programmatic intervention with 3 components, on the proper and timely management of babies born to mothers living with HIV. The components include near point-of-care maternal viral load testing, using e-health for results communication and placement of a focal person who coordinates clinical and laboratory activities pertaining to prevention of vertical HIV transmission.
My project will measure the costs and cost effectiveness of this intervention package. This evaluation is critical for policy decision making and sustainability of such intervetions in the face of other competing public health interests especially in resource limited settings.

Supervisors

Prof. Dr. Michael Hölscher
Prof. Dr. Michael Laxy
Dr. Arne Kroidl

EDUCATION:

2024 – present: Ph.D. candidate in Medical Research: Epidemiology & Public Health, LMU Munich, Germany
2019 – 2020: Masters in Epidemiology - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
2009 - 2014: Medical Doctor Degree - Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es salaam, Tanzania

PUBLICATION(S):

Lwilla AF, Elsbernd K, Boniface S, Edom R, Mahumane A, Meggi B, Buck WC, Lequechane J, Pereira K, Chiwerengo N, Chale F. Impact of point‐of‐care maternal viral load testing at delivery on vertical HIV transmission risk assessment and neonatal prophylaxis: a cluster randomized trial. Journal of the International AIDS Society. 2025 Aug;28(8):e70021.

Boniface, Siriel, Anange Lwilla, Hellen Mahiga, Doreen Pamba, Otto Geisenberger, John France, Rebecca Mokeha, et al. 2024. “Xpert HIV-1 Qual Point-of-Care Testing for HIV Early Infant Diagnosis in Tanzania: Experiences and Perceptions of Health Care Workers in a 2016 Study.” AIDS Research and Therapy 21 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/S12981-024-00619-2

Mwakayoka H, Lwilla A, Olomi W, Nyatu F, Mwang’ande E, Mweya C, Khamis O. Orofacial cleft patterns and risk factors among patients at Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Tanzania: A retrospective descriptive study. Tanzania Journal of Health Research. 2025 Apr 17;25(3):2037-47.

Malhotra A, Elísio D, Machiana A, Lwilla A, Hella J, Young N, Khosa C, Cossa M, Nguenha D, Mgaya R, Balate D. Decentralized TB diagnostic testing with Truenat MTB Plus and MTB-RIF Dx vs. hub-and-spoke GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra in Mozambique and Tanzania: a cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. PLOS Global Public Health. 2025 May 30;5(5):e0004724

Khamadi, Samoel A, Caroline Mavere, Emmanuel Bahemana, Anange Lwilla, Mucho Mizinduko, Seth Bwigane, Adela Peter, Joy Makando, Benjamin Peter, and Patricia Agaba. 2023. “Early Warning Indicators of HIV Drug Resistance in the Southern Highlands Region of Tanzania: Lessons from a Cross-Sectional Surveillance Study.” PLOS Global Public Health 3 (3): e0000929.

Somi, Nancy, Nicole Dear, Domonique Reed, Ajay Parikh, Anange Lwilla, Emmanuel Bahemana, Samoel Khamadi, Michael Iroezindu, Hannah Kibuuka, and Jonah Maswai. 2021. “Perceived Satisfaction with HIV Care and Its Association with Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and Viral Suppression in the African Cohort Study.” AIDS Research and Therapy 18: 1–8

Carlton JG, Pamba D, Ryan N, Olomi W, Ntinginya NE, Tinuga F, Maganga L, William W, Lwilla A, Kapesa E, Mwakisisile J. Facilitators and barriers to implementation of HPV vaccination in Tanzania: a mixed-methods study exploring perspectives from national, subnational, and community stakeholders, 2018–2023. Vaccine. 2025 Aug 30;62:127560

Jani, Ilesh and Sabi, Issa and Elsbernd, Kira and Meggi, Bindiya and Mahumane, Arlete and Lwilla, Anange Fred and Pereira, Kassia and Boniface, Siriel and Edom, Raphael and Laquechande, Joaquim and Chale, Falume and Chiwerengo, Nhamo and Ntinginya, Nyanda Elias and Mudenyanga, Chishamiso and Muller, Mariana and Rauscher, Martina and Hoelscher, Michael and Taveira, Nuno and Buck, W. Chris and Kroidl, Arne and Consortium, LIFE Study, Birth Point-of-Care Test-and-Treat Reduces Early Clinical Events Among HIV-Positive Infants: A Cluster Randomized Trial. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4589851 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4589851