Independent evaluation of the public health value of innovative new tools, technologies and approaches for vector control is needed to enable WHO to provide evidence-based advice to Member States on whether their deployment is justified. This is essential to ensure that scarce resources available for disease control are used to maximum impact. In order to assist WHO in developing public health policy on new tools, the Vector Control Advisory Group (VCAG) assesses the public health value of new interventions and provides guidance on developing the evidence base required to inform such assessments.

VCAG is jointly managed by the Global Malaria Programme, the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, and the WHO Prequalification Team for vector control products.

VCAG functions

  • To support WHO in guiding applicants, via the WHO Advisory Group Secretariat, on study designs for the generation of epidemiological data intended to enable assessment of the public health value of new vector control interventions;
  • To support WHO in evaluating the public health value of new vector control intervention classes, based on epidemiological studies submitted to WHO;
  • To advise WHO (i.e. the relevant technical departments) on whether public health value has been demonstrated for a new vector control intervention.

 

Members

Camilla Beech

Director, Cambea Consulting Ltd, United Kingdom

Dr John Bradley

Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kindgom

Dr Emily Briskin

Epidemiologist, Epicentre, Paris, France

Dr Francesca Frentiu

Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

Dr Kim Lindblade

VCAG co-chair & Technical Director, PMI Insights, PATH

Dr Corine Ngufor

Associate professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kindgom

Dr Sheila Ogoma

Regional Technical Advisor, Abt Associates, Nairobi, Kenya

Dr Manju Rahi

Deputy Director General, Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, ICMR, New Delhi, India

Professor Leanne Robinson

VCAG co-chair & Co-Programme Director of Health Security and Head of the Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health Group in the Health Security and Disease Elimination Programs, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Dr Alfred B. Tiono

Former head of the public health department of the Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Burkina Faso

Dr Elyes Zhioua

Professor, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunisia