The 52nd Union World Conference on Lung Health hosts a number of interesting post-graduate courses and workshops that are open to all (one does not need to register for the conference to attend these courses or workshops). Please do register for the short courses and workshops you are interested in.
1) WHO catalogue of mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and associated drug resistance
The what, when and how?
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Date: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Time: 14:00 to 17:00 CET
Background: The use of molecular tools for the diagnosis of TB and drug-resistant TB has had a significant impact on the management of TB globally. The use of more advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) is at the cusp of taking the current successes to the next level. However, a major hindrance has been the lack of a standardized single reference catalogue of mutations and their association with drug resistance. This is important for surveillance activities that already use such technologies, for manufacturers undertaking research and development and in preparation for the future programmatic use of these technologies.
Expected outputs/outcomes:
- Improved understanding of the use and special considerations when using NGS
- Proficiency in using the WHO Catalogue of Mutations
- Advanced knowledge on genotypic-phenotypic association studies
Session sponsor: Unitaid
Chairs: Timothy Rodwell (University of California San Diego); Matteo Zignol (WHO)
Coordinators: Carl-Michael Nathanson (WHO); Nazir Ismail (WHO)
Speakers:
- Anita Suresh (FIND): Understanding the role of Next Generation Sequencing for diagnosis of drug resistant TB
- Nazir Ismail (WHO): Use of NGS for surveillance of drug resistant TB
- Timothy Walker (Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam): Genotype and phenotype association studies for drug resistance determination
- Claudio Köser (Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge): Considerations and application of expert rules in the Catalogue of mutations
- Paolo Miotto (Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy): Accessing and using the WHO Catalogue of Mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and associated drug resistance
You can read a detailed description of the workshop here.
2) Achieving equity in action: Designing and implementing the ECHO virtual community of practice model to strengthen TB workforce capacity
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Date: Thursday, 9 December 2021
Time: 14:00 to 17:00 CET
The ECHO Institute's mission is to democratize medical knowledge and help get best practice care to underserved people all over the world. The ECHO [Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes] telementoring model is an innovative evidence-based education and training intervention designed to strengthen the knowledge and practice of clinical and programmatic teams in underserved communities. The model supports development of virtual communities of practice and learning that link national and international experts with site level TB practitioners for workforce development and collaborative problem solving to improve quality of and access to care. The model is rapidly being adapted in a wide variety of global contexts for DR TB treatment capacity development, pediatric TB, LTBI, TB/HIV, TB/HCV, TB Data 4 Action, and as part of TB elimination strategies.
In this Post-Graduate Course we will introduce participants to the basic principles and components of the ECHO model and review examples of the adaptation of the model in a variety of TB epidemic contexts in both high and low burden settings, including among indigenous and marginalized communities.
Expected outputs/outcomes:
Each participant will begin the process of designing their own TB ECHO program plan of action for their local context with guidance from the faculty using a standard work sheet as a template. Each participant will acquire an understanding of the principles and components of the ECHO model for education, training and workforce development, and the variety of ways it has been adapted to support national and sub-national TB programs, including DR TB programs in Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Session sponsor: Bruce Baird Struminger, MD, MA
Chairs: Diana Fortune (National Tuberculosis Controllers Associations); Neeta Singla National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases [India]
Coordinators: Bruce Struminger University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center; ECHO Institute; Amy Armistad (University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center/ECHO Institute)
Speakers:
- Upasna Agarwal: Nationwide Expansion of the Delhi MDR TB ECHO Program to Support TB Elimination & Capacity Building of HIV Clinicians to Treat TB with ECHO Support
- Lilit Khachatryan : A National ECHO program to strengthen DR-TB, complex TB, TB/HIV and TB/HCV care and treatment in the Republic of Armenia
- Jonathan Iralu: US Indian Health Service TB and COVID Care during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Daria Szkwarko: Advancing TB Prevention - Implementing the ECHO model to increase latent tuberculosis infection testing and treatment in primary care
- Peter Daud: The Contribution of Project ECHO in reducing the cost of treatment services for multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis patients in Tanzania
You can read a detailed description of the workshop here.