Biography
Dr. Gunta Dravniece is a senior TB expert combining extensive clinical experience with strategic program leadership. For over a decade, she served as a facilitator at the WHO Collaborating Centre on MDR-TB management in Latvia, following a successful clinical career managing TB and MDR-TB cases in Riga. She later joined the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, supporting global MDR-TB program implementation and policy development across multiple countries. Since February 2020, Dr. Gunta Dravniece has been leading the USAID-funded TB project at PATH Ukraine, supporting national efforts to strengthen TB prevention, diagnosis, and care.
Key Impacts
Enabling access to TB diagnosis and treatment through AI-enabled portable solutions in Ukraine
The AI-enabled mobile approach reduced the average TB diagnosis time to approximately 1.5 days and facilitated prompt treatment initiation through teleconsultation in regions where healthcare access and public transportation was limited.
Source: Conference 2024
Improving systematic TPT prescription using QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test results in Ukraine
The STBCEU-supported introduction of QFT-Gold testing significantly improved TBI diagnostics and TPT access for high-risk populations in Ukraine. Enhancing clinical decision-making and reduction of inappropriate TPT prescriptions has enabled a more effective, patient-centered approach to TB control. Continued expansion of testing and healthcare professional training is vital to sustain positive outcomes and further reduce TB rates.
Source: Conference 2024
Reducing diagnostic delays through a radiology information system in Kirovohradska oblast, Ukraine
The RIS implementation significantly streamlined the workflows of health care professionals. The system has facilitated both faster X-ray image processing and faster communication between health care providers, reducing delays in diagnosis and patient follow-up.
Source: Conference 2024