NDWG Highlights - June 2023

NDWG Secretariat

In April 2023, Sophia Georghiou, Senior Scientist, FIND, took over the Secretariat from Mikashmi Kohli, Senior Manager - Evidence and Policy, FIND.
        
Sophia is a molecular epidemiologist with postgraduate training in molecular biology and global health. She has over a decade of infectious disease research experience, working with many different academic institutions, clinical laboratories and industry partners to develop effective vaccines, drugs and diagnostics for management of diseases in resource-constrained settings. Sophia joined FIND in 2016. Her work within the TB Programme at FIND has contributed to the successful development and evaluation of rapid molecular tests for TB and drug resistance detection and informed multiple WHO review and guideline development group meetings as well as technical documents for the use and implementation of TB diagnostics.

Call for applications for the NDWG Core Group Member - NGO constituency

The primary responsibility of the Core Group is to form the coordinating body of the NDWG and to ensure that NDWG functions are fulfilled in an effective and efficient manner. To apply, please send your application (CV and motivation letter) to NDWG@finddx.org.

Transforming tuberculosis diagnosis

Diagnosis is the weakest aspect of TB care and control. Check out this paper in Nature Microbiology on the seven crucial transitions that can close the TB diagnostic gap and facilitate TB programmes worldwide to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic setbacks.

WHO standard: Universal access to rapid tuberculosis diagnostics

For the first time, WHO released the WHO standard: Universal access to rapid tuberculosis diagnostics, which is based on the WHO guidelines and the operational handbook. The standard consists of benchmarks in the diagnostic cascade in order to expand access to WHO-recommended rapid diagnostics, increase detection of bacteriologically-confirmed TB and drug resistance, and shorten the time to diagnosis.