Dr Vijayashree Yellappa came from a small town of south India, starting her career as medical officer in a rural primary health center, where she learnt how to practice public health in a resource constrained settings. Later joined WHO, India country office as National TB medical consultant and supported NTP at provincial and National level. That’s where she realised, we cannot realise public health goals without partnering with private health sector. Thus decided to equip herself with PhD at Maastricht University, Netherlands, where she designed and demonstrated the effectiveness of a PPP model to involve private sector in NTP. Now she presents herself as ‘knowledge broker’ to build partnership between public and private sector to end TB in high burden countries.
In other front, she has led health system and implementation research focusing on TB programmes and Point of care tests. Have managed leadership roles for multi-country research projects combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to produce empirical evidence to strengthen health systems and contribute to policy formulations. Fascinated with qualitative research after having worked with medical anthropologists for a decade now, and she uses this method to understand private sector priorities to engage them in PPM strategies. Lead and co-lead as an independent as well as joint international TA/ review mission for National TB programmes in country of the WHO SEARO and African Region, focusing on private sector engagement.
Currently serve as Member of national technical working group of National TB elimination programme, India and member of Global steering committee of Global TB PPM Learning Network, hosted by McGill University, Canada.
Widely cited publications in international journals in health system research focusing on TB and private sector. Medical degree from India, Master in Public Health from the National University of Singapore, PhD in TB PPM from Maastricht University, Netherlands and Fellowship in HIV Medicine from New Delhi, are my academic qualifications.