Dr. Hector Castro is a senior health policy and systems expert with more than two decades of experience in helping to close the gap between evidence, health policy and practice. He is passionate about global health research and knowledge transfer aimed at improving equitable access to healthcare and technologies in emerging markets and economies.
Dr. Castro is a Medical Doctor; Doctor of Public Health and Policy/ Health Economics from the University of London (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine-LSHTM); MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing (London School of Economics & Political Science-LSE); MSc in Occupational Health, and Specialist in Health Management. Former Takemi postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.
His over 25 year experience in different roles included senior positions as executive director, regional head, global, senior technical director, board member, scientific advisor and senior consultant in the fields of regulatory systems strengthening; healthcare quality management; strategic planning and purchasing; healthcare provision; health financing; health technology assessment; innovative financing; pharmaceutical policy; pricing; reimbursement; policy making on affordable and sustainable access to health technologies, health sector reforms, infectious, neglected and non-communicable diseases, technology and knowledge transfer and strategic information for health.
He was the founding Executive Director of the Health Technology Assessment Institute of Colombia and his expertise includes working in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin and North America. His global health and development experience includes working with donors and development partners such as USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, The WHO/PAHO, The World Bank, The Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP, UK Aid (former DFID), GHIT (Japan), etc.
His academic interest focuses on Health Systems and Policies, Health Economics and Financing, Evidence Informed Policy and Practice, Health Technology Assessment (methods, processes and agencies), Managed Entry Agreements (MEAs), Health Diplomacy and Global/Public Health. Worked as lecturer and professor at world class academic institutions.
