Mission
The GVAC provides advice to WHO regarding validation standards, processes and assessment tools.
The GVAC reviews validation reports from the Regional Validation Committee to ensure consistency and compliance with the minimum global criteria. It provides independent advice to WHO regarding validation of candidate countries for EMTCT of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, and elimination of viral hepatitis B and C.
If needed, the GVAC also provides recommendations to countries to support ongoing monitoring and maintenance of validation.
Current membership
The GVAC is a multidisciplinary team, comprising members with a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to EMTCT of HIV and/or syphilis and/or hepatitis B, and viral hepatitis B and C. Members serve a 3-year term, with the option to extend. When recruiting for an additional committee member, WHO will conduct a public call for experts on its website.
Call for experts
Meet the GVAC members
Chair
National PMTCT and Pediatric HIV Care and Treatment Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Zimbabwe
Dr Angela Mushavi leads the work on elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Zimbabwe and is the current chair of the WHO Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC).
Learn moreCo-chairs
Deputy Director for STI and Gynecology, Women’s Health Innovations, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr Lori Newman is the Deputy Director for STI and Gynecology in the Women’s Health Innovations team of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and current co-chair of the WHO Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC).
Learn moreDirector, Caribbean Med Labs Foundation
Ms Valerie Wilson is an immunologist and public health manager who has provided leadership and technical advisory services to Ministries of Health, private and public sector laboratories and staff in 23 countries within the Caribbean region. She is currently co-chairing the WHO Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC).
Learn moreMembers
Consultant in Clinical Infection
Executive Director of Center for Women Justice Uganda
Medical Doctor, Infectious diseases specialist, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Monastir
Department of Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Medical School
Co-lead for Viral Hepatitis, The Robert Koch Institute
Family Physician at Kawasaki Settlement Clinic
Faculty of Medicine, Prince Songkla University, Thailand
Medical epidemiologist in the Division of STD Prevention at the National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, CDC
Professor, Department of Social Medicine, Federal University of Espírito Santo
Maternal Infant HIV Team Lead
Programmes Lead, Policy and Advocacy, Her Rights Initiative (HRI), and Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA)
Visiting Professor, Institute of Liver and Bilary Sciences
Head of National HIV, STIs, and Hepatitis Programs and the Division Manager for HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis
Acting National Coordinator, Swaziland National Network of Young Positives (SNYP+)
Lead, Positive Women in Ukraine
Director of TREAT Asia and Vice President of amfAR
Medical Epidemiologist in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Associate Director for Global Health, Division of Viral Hepatitis, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Senior Director for Catalytic Initiatives and Program Optimization
Team Lead for HIV Viral Load and Early Infant Diagnosis, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Co-Director, STRIPE (Strengthening Interprofessional Education) for HIV
Chief physician, National Center for Women and Children’s Health, National Health Commission of China
Senior Advisor for Global Health for the Hepatitis B Foundation
Former members
Senior Director of Strategic Information and Evaluation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Independent Consultant (Health, Human Rights and Gender)
Chief Medical Officer
Professor of Global Health, Institute for Global Health, University College London
Lead for Elimination and Control/Epidemiology Team in the Parasitic Diseases Branch, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ms Bakita Kasadha
Researcher and community advocate
Chief Executive, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters
Professor and Chair of Diagnostics Research
Senior Advocacy Manager for Greater Asia, Lawyers Collective India
Dr Surbhi Modi
Principal Deputy Director, Division of Global HIV & TB at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ms Lillian Mworeko
Executive Director, International Community of Women living with HIV Eastern Africa
Consultant, Public Health Center of The Ministry of Health of Ukraine
Dr Genesis Samonte
Independent consultant
Dr Magnus Unemo
National Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology
Related tools and strategies
Governance guidance for the validation of elimination of mother-to-child transmission...
Guidance for country validation of viral hepatitis elimination and path to elimination
Global guidance on criteria and processes for validation: elimination of mother-to-child...
Related information on EMTCT