KNCV experts appointed to WHO AFRO Regional Advisory Group, strengthening evidence-based TB leadership in Africa
KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation is proud to announce that two senior KNCV experts, Petra de Haas and Dr. Gidado Mustapha, have been appointed to the WHO African Region Technical Advisory Group on HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (AFTAG-HTH) for a three-year term. Their appointments underline the continued relevance and urgency of strong, regionally grounded expertise in shaping evidence-based TB policies and programs across the African Region.
About the AFTAG-HTH
The AFTAG-HTH is a high-level advisory body that provides strategic and technical guidance to the WHO Regional Office for Africa on priorities, policies, and implementation related to HIV, TB, hepatitis and STIs. Its mandate includes:
- advising on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care,
- reviewing technical products, and
- supporting countries to align national programs with global standards and regional targets.
Image from WHO AFRO
Strengthening TB diagnostics and laboratory leadership: Petra de Haas
Petra de Haas, Senior Technical Laboratory Advisor at KNCV, has over three decades of experience in TB diagnostics, laboratory systems strengthening, technical assistance, and policy development. Petra was the inventor and led the development of Simple One-Step (SOS) stool processing method for the detection of M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in stool.
Throughout her career, Petra has lived and worked in Zambia. She has also supported countries in the WHO AFRO Region to improve the quality, accessibility, and reliability of TB diagnostic services. Her work has focused on strengthening laboratory networks, introducing, and scaling-up new diagnostic tools (such as the SOS Stool-based testing), and ensuring that diagnostic strategies are effectively embedded within national TB programs. This expertise is particularly timely as countries accelerate efforts to bridge diagnostic gaps and ensure early, accurate detection of TB and TB infection in line with WHO recommendations.
We cannot eliminate what we do not detect. We need to continue working to making essential, sensitive diagnostic tools available and accessible for the communities who need it most.
A respected African expert voice on TB policy and impact: Dr Gidado Mustapha
Dr Gidado Mustapha, Executive Director of KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, has also been appointed to the AFTAG-HTH-HIV and STIs Subgroup. A Nigerian national with long-standing experience in TB prevention, care and policy, Dr Gidado is widely recognized as a leading expert on TB both within Nigeria and internationally. He has almost three decades of experience in improving public health outcomes in TB, TB/HIV, MDR-TB & Leprosy in a variety of healthcare settings from health care facility to national and global level.
As an expert with deep contextual knowledge of health systems, governance and TB burden dynamics in the region, Dr Gidado brings a critical perspective to regional and global discussions on TB care and prevention, and health policy.
His appointment reflects the importance of amplifying expert voices from the region itself, particularly at a time when WHO AFRO is strengthening its support to Member States on integrated, people-centered TB and HIV responses
I am deeply honored to join the WHO AFRO AFTAG‑HTH. Over the next three years, I hope to bring a regionally grounded perspective to help shape practical, evidence‑based guidance that countries can implement in translating science to measurable impact for communities most affected by HIV, TB, Hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases.
Timely expertise for regional priorities
The WHO AFRO Region continues to carry a significant share of the global TB burden (WHO Global TB Report 2025), while countries are navigating persistent challenges related to diagnostics, service integration, and sustainable financing for TB programs.
By contributing their expertise in a personal capacity, advisory group members support WHO AFRO in setting priorities, reviewing progress, and shaping technical guidance that directly informs national policies and programs across the region. The presence of both Petra and Dr Gidado in the advisory group reinforces KNCV’s long-standing commitment to evidence-based, data-driven and regionally relevant solutions for ending TB in Africa.
