The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases. This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
Leishmaniases are among the most neglected tropical diseases that are endemic in 99 countries. It is caused by a protozoan parasite from over 20 Leishmania species, with over 80 sand fly species known to transmit Leishmania parasites. The diseases could be anthroponotic or zoonotic, with over 20 animal species confirmed as reservoirs. An estimated 700,000 to 1 million new cases occur annually, with 1 billion population at-risk. There are three main clinical forms: visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar, the most serious one because it is almost always fatal without treatment; cutaneous leishmaniasis, the most common, causing skin ulcers; and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, affecting the mouth, nose, and throat. Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis is a sequela of visceral leishmaniasis after an apparent cure. It can also occur in a proportion of patients without a history of kala-azar.
These conditions show distinct substantial epidemiological, clinical, and operational diversity across regions. Endemic countries continue to face challenges related to early diagnosis, effective case management, vector and animal reservoir control, surveillance, and the emergence of new evidence on diagnostics, therapeutics, and transmission dynamics. In this evolving landscape, WHO requires independent, multidisciplinary, and context‑specific technical advice to guide its normative work, support countries in implementing evidence‑based strategies, and ensure coherence across global and regional initiatives. The Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases will provide this strategic and scientific guidance, helping WHO respond to changing epidemiology, programmatic needs, and research developments.
Functions of the Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the AG shall have the following functions:
- To provide independent evaluation of the scientific, technical and strategic aspects of prevention, control and elimination of leishmaniasis;
- To recommend priorities within the WHO and/or the Malaria & NTDs Department (MNT) in this area;
- To advise WHO on planned activities and approaches within this area;
- To advise WHO on research priorities; and
- To review the progress and make recommendations to WHO on strategies in the prevention, control and elimination of leishmaniasis as a public health problem.
TAG’s Terms of Reference are here.
Operations of the Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases
The Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases will be expected to meet annually, virtually or in person at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, or another location, as determined by WHO, usually for 2-3 days each time. Interim teleconferences may be required of the members. The working language of the group will be English.
Who can express interest?
The Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to leishmaniasis. Approximately up to 25 members may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from:
- Scientists, healthcare professionals, and healthcare regulators with expertise in the following areas:
- Epidemiology, surveillance, control, monitoring & evaluation in the field of leishmaniases, infectious and tropical medicine;
- Clinical parasitology, immunopathology, diagnostics, treatment, and management of leishmaniases;
- Sand fly vector biology and control;
- Veterinary public health;
- Skin NTDs;
- Country implementation, programme management in the field of prevention, control, and elimination of leishmaniasis;
- Emergency medicine, outbreak response, and access in conflict, humanitarian settings, displaced populations;
- Climate change, environment, One Health & WASH;
- Modelling in the area of leishmaniases;
- National and international pharmaceutical policies, pharmacovigilance programmes’ implementation and evaluation;
- Pricing, procurement, needs estimation and/or regulation of medicines;
- Health systems and programme delivery;
- Ethics, equity, human rights, and gender in public health;
- Social science and community engagement.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases, please submit the following documents by 24 July 2026, e.g. 24:00h (midnight) Geneva time to neglected.diseases@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the Technical Advisory Group on Leishmaniases:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore, do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at Declaration of interests.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of an AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts ( Declaration of interests). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of an AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG, or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to neglected.diseases@who.int well before the applicable deadline.