Hyderabad: Professor Sarang Deo, a renowned expert in Operations Management and Deputy Dean of Faculty and Research at the Indian School of Business (ISB), has been appointed as a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for Tuberculosis by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The STAG-TB’s mission is to play a vital role in ending the tuberculosis epidemic and ultimately eradicating the disease by providing cutting-edge scientific and technical guidance to WHO. Its responsibilities encompass offering WHO an independent evaluation of the strategic, scientific, and technical aspects of WHO’s TB efforts, reviewing the progress and challenges in their TB-related core functions from a scientific and technical perspective, and advising on priority activities for prevention and care, a release said on Tuesday.
Professor Deo is well-known for his groundbreaking research in private sector engagement models for TB control and eradication, as well as effective healthcare delivery system management. His appointment is expected to bolster India’s ongoing battle against tuberculosis.
He collaborates closely with global organizations and partners to identify critical gaps in tuberculosis care and management in India and develop strategies to address them.
Expressing his thoughts, Professor Deo stated, “The Indian government is committed to eliminating TB by 2025, and the establishment of STAG-TB will significantly enhance global collaborative efforts. My appointment is particularly timely in the global fight against this disease. I aim to bring insights from my research and that of others on private sector engagement and health system design to the STAG’s deliberations.”
Professor Deo will be part of a 15-member panel of global experts tasked with providing the WHO Director-General with an independent evaluation of the strategic, scientific, and technical aspects of the organization’s efforts to eradicate TB. The group is chaired by Ethel Leonor Maciel, Secretary of Surveillance for Health and Environment at the Ministry of Health in Brazil, and includes Dr. Anurag Bhargava, a Professor of Medicine at Yenepoya Medical College in India.
Professor Sarang Deo’s primary research focus lies in the effective management of healthcare delivery systems to improve population-level health outcomes, especially in low and middle-income countries. His research has covered various healthcare contexts, including formal and informal pathways for TB diagnosis in India and innovative delivery models for healthcare products and services across multiple continents, including Africa, North America, and Europe. He also serves as a member of expert committees established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).
