Dr Nazir Ismail is a Team Leader in the Unit for Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, Care and Innovation at the WHO’s Global Tuberculosis (TB) Programme in Geneva, Switzerland. He leads the team responsible for developing global policies, norm... Show more

Dr Nazir Ismail is a Team Leader in the Unit for Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, Care and Innovation at the WHO’s Global Tuberculosis (TB) Programme in Geneva, Switzerland. He leads the team responsible for developing global policies, norms and standards in TB Diagnosis and Laboratory Strengthening. He is the former Head of the Centre for Tuberculosis at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa. A medical doctor by training that specialized in microbiological pathology. His experience covers TB diagnostics, epidemiology, public health responses and TB transmission.

TEACHING CONTRIBUTIONS:

• Membership of national and international bodies
• Councilor – College of Medicine (Microbiology Representative) – 2017-2019

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• MMed (Micro), Microbiology, University of Limpopo, 2006 
• PDIC, Infection Control, Uni Stellenbosch, 2006
• DTM&H, Tropical Medicine, WITS 2004

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• World Health Organization, Global TB Programme, Team Lead: Diagnostics 2020-Current
• National Institute for Communicable Diseases/UP, Head: Centre for Tuberculosis 2012-2020

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

Former supervision or co-supervision

• Kathy Anne Strydom, MMed (Microbiology),NA Ismail, F Ismail, Duration - 4 yrs
• Mashafong Matabane, MMed (Microbiology), NA Ismail, F Ismail, Duration - 4 yrs

RESEARCH OUTPUTS:
1. Ismail NA, Omar SV, Moultrie H, Bhyat Z, Conradie F, Enwerem M, Ferreira H, Hughes J, Joseph L, 
Kock Y, Letsaolo V, Maartens G, Meintjes G, Ngcamu D, Okozi N, Padanilam X, Reuter A, Romero 
R, Schaaf S, Te Riele J, Variava E, van der Meulen M, Ismail F, Ndjeka N. Assessment of 
epidemiological and genetic characteristics and clinical outcomes of resistance to bedaquiline in 
patients treated for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Lancet 
Infect Dis 2022; 22: 496-506.
2. Omar SV, Ismail F, Ndjeka N, Kaniga K, Ismail NA. Bedaquiline-Resistant Tuberculosis Associated 
with Rv0678 Mutations. N Engl J Med 2022; 386: 93-94.