News Highlights - January 20, 2026

Kudos

Kuppalli Appointed to WHO Prevention and Control Working Group

Krutika Kuppalli, M.D., an Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, has been invited to join the World Health Organization (WHO) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Working Group for Public Health Emergencies, an expert body convened through WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme to strengthens preparedness and response to emerging and re-emerging infectious threats.

Dr. Kuppalli brings extensive frontline, technical, and policy experience in global health security and outbreak response. Her career spans clinical care, research, and emergency operations across multiple continents, including NIH-funded research on emerging infections in India and service as Medical Director of an Ebola Treatment Unit in Sierra Leone during the 2014 West Africa outbreak.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Kuppalli joined WHO to support the global response, contributing to the development of clinical management guidelines, therapeutics guidelines and leading initiatives on post-COVID-19 condition. She later became part of WHO’s core mpox technical team during the 2022 Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), supporting development of international guidance and response efforts in affected regions. She has also contributed to WHO therapeutics guidelines for Ebola virus disease, drawing on her frontline experience with high-consequence pathogens.

A recognized scientific expert in emerging pathogens, biosecurity, and pandemic preparedness, Dr. Kuppalli has advised governments and international organizations worldwide and held leadership roles within professional societies, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Her appointment reflects deep expertise in outbreak response and infection prevention and a sustained commitment to strengthening health systems, particularly in resource-limited and emergency settings.

The IPC Working Group meets regularly and can be convened rapidly during public health emergencies to provide timely, evidence-based guidance, coordinate global IPC efforts, and inform strategies to protect health workers and communities worldwide. ■