WHA79 Side Event: Advancing TB Diagnostics: Innovations for Screening and Improved Outcomes
Thu, May 21
|Geneva (specific location is TBD)
Despite major progress, millions of people with TB still go undiagnosed each year. This high-level WHA side-event will bring together global leaders, innovators, and policymakers to accelerate access to breakthrough TB diagnostic solutions and drive coordinated action toward ending TB.
Time & Location
May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Geneva (specific location is TBD)
Guests
About the event
The Advancing TB Diagnostics: Innovations for Screening and Improved Outcomes side-event at the 79th World Health Assembly will convene global health leaders, diagnostic innovators, civil society, and government representatives to address one of the most persistent gaps in the fight against tuberculosis: early and accurate detection.
With an estimated 3 million people with TB remaining undiagnosed or unreported each year, far-reaching innovation is urgently needed. The session will highlight cutting-edge molecular tests, point-of-care solutions, AI-supported screening, and next-generation diagnostic tools that have the potential to transform detection in high-burden settings.
This high-level dialogue will explore the policy, financing, and health system barriers that prevent promising technologies from reaching scale—and identify collaborative pathways to strengthen diagnostic access worldwide. Participants will engage directly with experts and decision-makers working at the intersection of innovation, implementation, and policy.
Key themes & discussion areas 📌 The global TB diagnostic gap and its impact on health outcomes 📌 Innovations…