Sholpan Primbetova

Sholpan Primbetova serves as Director of Regional Projects at the Columbia University Global Health Research Center of Central Asia in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Her work focuses on public health, epidemiology, and HIV prevention strategies, particularly among populations affected by substance use and migration. She has led and co-investigated multiple international research initiatives funded by agencies like NIDA, NIMH, and USAID.

Key research interests include HIV/STI risk reduction among drug-involved couples, migrant worker health, and tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology in Central Asia. Her projects emphasize evidence-based interventions, policy advocacy, and scaling up harm reduction measures such as naloxone distribution.

Recent projects include evaluating microfinance interventions for high-risk women and assessing TB risk factors in migrant populations. These efforts aim to address structural barriers to healthcare access and improve health outcomes in vulnerable communities.