HepC Virtual Clinic, Switzerland
Erika is an internal and addiction medicine specialist based in downtown Lausanne. Her clinical practice concerns people who use drugs and alcohol as well as chemsex users. She leads a local project towards hepatitis C micro elimination in her region. Dr Castro participates to the Swiss cohort study for the Medical Management of Substance Users (SAMMSU) and chairs several addiction medicine education initiatives in Switzerland. She’s also a trainer and consultant of the UNODC TreatNet programme.
From 2011 to 2018 she developed integrated care services “under-one-roof” for people with co-occurring mental disorders, drug use and HIV/HCV co-infection at the Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois, Switzerland.
Erika completed an MSc and PhD degree in tropical medicine at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after her main education in Venezuela. Her current research interest concerns screening and treatment strategies for people with chronic hepatitis C as well as global health of people who use drugs.
Erika’s main publications are available to read here: HIV, HCV and Addictions.
Throughout her journey in Venezuela and Switzerland, Erika has worked with other patient communities such as migrants, MSM and sex workers.