Biography
Dr. Jyoti Kayesth is currently serving as the National Consultant, TB Laboratories with the Government of India–WHO TB Technical Support Network, where she supports the management and troubleshooting of the TB laboratory network under the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP).
She holds a Doctorate from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi with professional expertise in scientific research and management experience associated with Laboratory services. Her primary research interests include the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB diagnostics, and drug resistance in M. tuberculosis.
Key Impacts
Strengthening laboratory services for drug resistance testing of bedaquiline
Strategic implementation led to the expansion of BDQ DST services in 18 States, covering a significant proportion of the national DRTB burden. In Phase II, 17 additional laboratories identified extend services to eight more States. States with lower DRTB burden linked to certified laboratories in neighbouring States or to their respective NRLs. Until certification is achieved, patients initiated on BPaLM are linked to existing certified laboratories for baseline BDQ DST.
Source: Conference 2024
Utilising a grading tool to improve performance of reference laboratories in India’s National TB Elimination Programme
The tool empowers laboratory managers and program managers at state and national levels to understand existing strengths, critical gaps, and underlying challenges. The tool builds NRL and IRL governance capacity for TB diagnostic services, allowing them to institute corrective actions and healthy competition among state-level TB laboratories.
Source: Conference 2024