MK

Munirathnam Suresh Kumar

Johns Hopkins University, University of Madras

ORCID iD 0000-0002-4821-9218
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About

I have worked in the mental health and substance use field as a service provider, teacher, trainer, researcher, and consultant for over 39 years. I was an executive committee member of the UN Regional Taskforce on Injecting Drug Use and HIV, a member of the strategic and technical advisory committee to WHO, HIV / AIDS Department, Geneva, a member of the Global Research Network on HIV Prevention for Drug Using Populations, a member of the Substance Use Working Group of the HIV Prevention Trials Network, a director of the International Harm Reduction Association, an executive member of the Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN), a member of the Asian Multi City Epidemiology Network, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Epidemiology, Indian Council of Medical Research. I also serve on the editorial board of the International Journal of Drug Policy and as a reviewer for many international journals.

As Director of Global R&D with citiesRISE, I have led a range of collaborative efforts to develop mental health innovations and research projects that bring the best of evidence and communities’ own experiences together, including the Whole School Approach in primary and secondary schools, Gathering Spaces within informal settlements, and the Youth Leaders Networks and Youth Challenge Awards. This work has resulted in the development of new intervention models and tools for engaging young people that have been transferred across cultures and contexts.

I was an Investigator for Integrated Care Clinics for IDUs in India: A cluster randomized trial, sponsored by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), USA, 2012 – 2020 and this research has led to several international publications in high-impact journals. In addition, this helped to establish integrated care clinics for people who inject drugs. I have worked on research and practice projects in countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. I have also served as consultant for UN agencies such as UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS, World Bank, and international donor agencies such as UKAID, USAID and AUSAID.

Throughout my career, I have worked predominantly with populations that are marginalised, especially people who use and/or inject drugs, as well as people with lived experience of severe mental illness. I have also worked in research and practice with a broader range of people with lived experience of other psychiatric disorders such as young people living with anxiety and depression. For example, I worked with others to facilitate the establishment of drug user networks nationally and in countries across Asia. I am deeply committed to engaging people with lived experience in ethical, appropriate, and meaningful ways, and believe in the centrality of lived experience expertise to driving progress in mental health science. I am a recipient of Lifetime Achievement award by Don Bosco Schools Association and Vocational Excellence award by Rotary Club of Adyar for my work in community based interventions for people who use substances .

I have trained and mentored many people across different sub-disciplines in mental health and substance use research and related public health issues. I also have extensive experience engaging different stakeholders in research processes and in research uptake, from grassroots community groups to system leaders such as government officials. My approach to mental health research is rooted in collaboration across disciplinary and other boundaries. I am a recipient of Lifetime achievement award from the Indian Psychiatric Society - South Zone, Visakha oration of the Indian Psychiatric Society - South Zone, Manasa hospital oration of the Indian Psychiatric Society - Andhra Pradesh and Manipal Alumni Association of Mental Health Professionals Oration for my academic contribution over the years.

Having published many peer-reviewed journal articles, I bring experience across a range of different research projects. Further, I have substantial research ethics and integrity experience, and currently serve as the Ethics Committee Chair for Schizophrenia Research Foundation, a premier research organisation on mental health in South India. In this current stage of my career, I have a major focus on mentoring and supporting younger researchers and teaching and training mental health professionals across India.

Employment

Employment history is unavailable.

Education

  • Johns Hopkins University MPH
    1994 - 1995
  • University of Madras MD Psychiatry
    1981 - 1983
  • University of Madras DPM (Diploma in Psychological Medicine)
    1979 - 1981
  • University of Madras MBBS
    1972 - 1977

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (2)