Biography

Dr. Tamiru Assefa (MD, MPH, MBA, PMS, FISQUA) is a medical doctor and public health expert with over nine years of experience in clinical care, program leadership, and implementation research. He has served as Chief Executive Director of a national DR-TB referral hospital in Addis Ababa and led multi-sectoral TB/HIV and COVID-19 interventions. Dr. Tamiru has conducted and managed research projects with WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and the Global Fund, focusing on TB program improvement and urban health strategies. His work has contributed to improved TB detection and treatment outcomes across Ethiopia’s major urban regions through evidence-based approaches.

Expertise

TB Diagnostics
Public Health

Key Impacts

Cost-effective diagnostic strategies for targeted mass screening campaigns: Pooled GeneXpert vs. TB-LAMP testing in Ethiopia

Both tests were diagnostically reliable, but pooled GeneXpert offered greater cost savings and efficiency. When paired with high-quality specimens, pooled testing is a novel, scalable solution for resource-limited settings. It enables broader coverage, faster results, and cost-effective TB case detection—key elements for successful MSaT campaigns and advancing toward TB elimination goals.

Source: Conference 2024