St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones named Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, an infectious disease specialist, the director of the St. Louis City Department of Health. Hlatshwayo Davis most recently was on the infectious diseases faculty at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis. Her work includes fighting Covid-19, and HIV/AIDS, including on the Fast Track Cities Initiative, a network of cities burdened by HIV.
Hlatshwayo Davis received her medical degree from Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and a master’s in public health degree from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Davis completed an infectious disease fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine, a one-year dedicated non-Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education HIV fellowship and a two-year dedicated sexually transmitted infections fellowship.
Mayor Jones indicated in a statement Wednesday that “as the COVID-19 crisis deepens across the country, St. Louis needs a health leader who can reach hesitant communities about the importance of mitigation and vaccination”.