Biography
Vikas Panibatla is the Chief Executive of TB Alert India and a doctoral researcher in Applied Psychology. With nearly two decades of experience in public health, his work bridges implementation and research to enhance TB care. His PhD explores depression and anxiety across stages of TB treatment, emphasizing integrated mental health support for improved outcomes. Vikas has led innovative models like the DOST approach for DR-TB and has published widely on patient-centred, tech-enabled interventions. His work span across nine Indian states, focusing on stigma reduction, community empowerment, and health system strengthening through evidence-based strategies, operational research, and cross-sector collaboration..
Key Impacts
Leadership matters: Assessing TB stigma among industrial managers in Telangana’s high-burden districts
Our findings reveal a range of contradictions and tensions in attitudes and practices towards people with TB, suggesting the need for multifaceted approach to stigma reduction that addresses underlying perceptions, translates awareness into changed behaviour, and holds industry leadership accountable for workplace responses to TB. Reducing stigma at the managerial level is particularly critical for fostering supportive work environments and advancing India’s TB response.
Source: Conference 2024
Man vs. machine: A comparative analysis of AI-assisted screening and community referrals for TB detection under the C-PAT project
The C-PAT experience shows that blending innovation with grassroots engagement creates a powerful hybrid model for TB detection. Integrating AI tools with community networks can significantly enhance case finding in resource-constrained, high-burden settings.
Source: Conference 2024