Report of the fourth meeting of the WHO Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases: virtual meeting, 26–27 October 2021

Overview

Due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the fourth meeting of the Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases (DTAG), an advisory group to the World Health Organization’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (WHO/NTD), was held virtually. It comprised an open session on 26 October 2021 and a closed session (for DTAG members only) on 27 October 2021.

The meeting was opened by Dr Daniel Argaw Dagne, who offered thanks to the members of the DTAG and its subgroups for the significant progress made over the past 2 years. Between its inception in October 2019 and October 2021, the DTAG had created 10 disease-specific and cross-cutting subgroups, in addition to a resource mobilization subgroup to help attract and coordinate investments in diagnostics for NTDs.

Since the previous (third) DTAG meeting (3 June 2021), eight target product profiles (TPPs) had been published, with 11 more in the pipeline for publication. Two new subgroups had been formed, concentrating on visceral leishmaniasis and zoonotic NTDs. In addition, a small ad hoc task team of the zoonotic NTD subgroup had been formed to focus specifically on developing a TPP for dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease).

The fourth DTAG meeting was convened to provide DTAG members and the wider NTD community with an overview of progress made by the various subgroups, as well as to consider critical issues requiring recommendations for action from the DTAG.