February Highlights: APRC Presentation & Virtual Learning
PeerLINC at the Asia Pacific Region Conference of The Union (APRC)
PeerLINC continues to build on its momentum this February, shifting its spotlight from Latin America to Asia in Bangkok, with Program Manager Donna Mae Gaviola sharing the key facts on supporting implementation of innovative TB treatments her presentation “PeerLINC and G-TEC: Driving Rapid Uptake of BPaL/BPaLM Regimens Globally.”
PeerLINC, established by TB Alliance, has accelerated adoption of WHO‑recommended drug‑resistant TB regimens by combining practical training with peer‑to‑peer clinical expertise, resulting in more than 700 TB professionals trained worldwide, 80% in BPaL/BPaLM regimens. Its Global Technical Expert Council (G‑TEC) now delivers rapid (24–48 hour) expert guidance across 18 countries, strengthening real‑time clinical decision‑making and improving patient outcomes in complex DR‑TB cases.
The presentation was a true team effort, and featured insights from PeerLINC’s leadership and experts: Head Dr. Eden Mendoza-Hisey, former Programmatic Lead Dr. Ronald Allan Fabella, Senior Clinical Advisor Irene Flores, Laboratory Support Lead Anthony Geronimo, and Ms. Gaviola herself. Valuable contributions also came from Market Access Director Maria Diachenko and Senior Vice President Sandeep Juneja.
To set the direction of the programme, inspiring speeches were given by Sandeep Juneja, TB Alliance’s Senior Vice President of Market Access, Dr. Fernanda Dockhorn Costa, Brazil’s Director of its National Tuberculosis Program, and Dr. Eden Mendoza-Hisey, Head of PeerLINC.
Program Manager Donna Mae Gaviola at the Asia Pacific Region Conference of The Union (APRC) conference in Thailand
Virtual learning for faster DR TB management rollout
Laboratory Support Lead Anthony Geronimo led a focused virtual training session on TB culture techniques using the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) 960 System. Organized by Ayan Abdullahi Ali, the half-day session engaged 11 participants from Somalia’s National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL). The training covered detailed liquid TB culture procedures and concluded with a lively Q&A, along with a request for a follow-up session on Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP).
Wrapping up February was an intensive five-day virtual training for the TB program of Somaliland Region . Spearheaded by NTP Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Dr. Mohamed Yasin Dualeh, the program brought together 20 participants for comprehensive lectures and targeted case discussions. The training addressed current trends and challenges, equipping the team to strengthen TB control efforts in Somaliland Region.