Vijayashree Yellappa, holds a PhD in medicine and a medical doctor, with over 25 years of professional experience in health policy development and implementation, health systems strengthening, TB control programme implementation TB Public-Private Mix initiatives, and the design and evaluation of primary health care reforms.
Co-authoring multiple publications, Vijayashree is an expert in health system and implementation research focusing on infectious diseases (TB, HIV and leishmaniasis), assisting governments in developing and implementing governance and regulatory structures for health systems and private sector service delivery, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and health systems strengthening.
Vijayashree previously worked for the WHO, the World Bank, PATH, FIND, UNICEF and the NITI Aayog think-tank in India. As a faculty member at the Institute of Public Health in Bengaluru, India, Vijayashree undertook projects on maternal health regulations in India, China and Vietnam, in person and e-learning modules for programme officers working in public health management, and results-based financing strategies for TB care and control in India.
Vijayashree’s PhD project, designing a health system-oriented intervention model to improve the collaboration of private practitioners with the National TB programme in southern India, was chosen as one of the top 30 Social innovations in the Global South.
Within KNCV, Vijayashree advises on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care strategies for TB and related health issues. Vijayashree also engages with global and country partners to map and analyse evidence for policy decisions and health system strengthening.
Recent publications
- Vijayashree Yellappa, Kusum Moray, Petra Heitkamp, et al. Building a virtual community of practice – The evolution of the TBPPM learning network, India chapter. Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 35(2024)
- Bigio J, Hannay E, Pai M, et al. The inclusion of diagnostics in national health insurance schemes in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Viet Nam. BMJ Global Health 2023.
- Ramani et al. How to work with intangible software in public health systems: some experiences from India. Health Research Policy and Systems (2022) 20:52.
- Yellappa V, Bindu H, Rao N, et al. Understanding dynamics of private tuberculosis pharmacy market: a qualitative inquiry from a South Indian district. BMJ Open 2022;12: e052319
- Vijayashree Yellappa, Battaglioli, S. K. Gurum, et al. Involving private practitioners in the Indian tuberculosis program: a randomised trial. Tropical Medicine and International Health. 2018; 23(5): 570-579.
read all the KNCV publications