Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease that can cause chronic lymphoedema, recurrent acute inflammatory episodes, disability and substantial physical, psychological and socioeconomic consequences. Although significant progress has been made towards interrupting LF transmission, many people affected by filarial lymphoedema continue to require lifelong care. Strengthening the availability of effective, equitable and people-centred morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) services is therefore an essential component of LF elimination efforts.
WHO is developing a comprehensive, evidence-based guideline for alleviating morbidity due to filarial lymphoedema. The guideline aims to provide recommendations to national health authorities and health care providers on the clinical management of filarial lymphoedema, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, self-care, psychosocial support and approaches to service delivery. The recommendations will support the integration of lymphoedema management into primary health care and improve the physical and mental well-being and quality of life of people affected by LF.
WHO is establishing a Guideline Development Group (GDG) to review the available evidence and advise on the formulation of recommendations. The proposed GDG brings together experts with complementary experience in LF research and clinical management, lymphoedema and wound care, epidemiology, public health, MMDP programme implementation, mental health and psychosocial support, health systems, ethics and evidence assessment. The group will also aims to incorporate the perspectives of national LF programmes and people with lived experience of LF. Its proposed composition seeks to ensure appropriate representation across geographical regions, genders and relevant areas of expertise.
WHO has identified individuals being considered for membership of the GDG. The names and brief biographies of the proposed members are provided for public notice and comment.
Comments and information brought to WHO's attention through this process are an integral component of its assessment of declarations of interests and potential conflicts of interest. This process aims to strengthen transparency and public trust in WHO activities involving the provision of technical and normative advice.
WHO invites comments concerning any circumstances that may affect an individual's suitability to participate in the GDG, including potential conflicts of interest relevant to the work of the group. Submissions should be factual and provide sufficient information to enable WHO to assess the matters raised.
Comments received will be carefully reviewed, treated confidentially and retained on record. They will not be published. WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant proposed member, in accordance with applicable WHO policies and procedures. Following its review and assessment, WHO may take appropriate action regarding the proposed membership.
Publication of an individual's name as a proposed GDG member does not confirm their appointment. Participation in a WHO-convened GDG does not imply endorsement or recommendation of the individual by WHO, nor does it create a binding relationship between the individual and the Organization.
For comments and inquiries
Comments should be submitted by email to kingj@who.int and sassam@who.int, with the subject line: “Comments on the proposed membership of the Guideline Development Group for filarial lymphoedema.”
Please include the name, affiliation or nature of the submitting individual or organization, relevant contact details, and sufficient information to support the comments provided. Receipt of comments will be acknowledged through a standard email notification.
The deadline for submitting public comments is 14 November 2026, 17:00 CET.
Proposed Members of the Guideline Development Group
Dr Asrat Mengiste
Biography
Dr Asrat Mengiste is an Ethiopian medical doctor and specialist in general and reconstructive surgery, with more than 30 years of clinical experience in morbidity management, disability prevention and rehabilitation for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis, leprosy, Buruli ulcer and noma. He currently serves as Senior NTD Technical Advisor at CDT-Africa, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Previously, he served as Executive Director of the National Podoconiosis Action Network and as a reconstructive surgeon with Amref Flying Doctors and the All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Centre. His work has included surgical training, rehabilitation and capacity strengthening across fourteen African countries. He brings extensive clinical and programme experience in lymphoedema management, disability prevention and integrated care for people affected by NTDs, relevant to WHO guideline development.
Professor Belen Lardizabal Dofitas
Biography
Professor Belen Lardizabal Dofitas is a dermatologist, clinical epidemiologist and public health researcher at the University of the Philippines Manila. She is Professor at the College of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Complex Wounds and Head of the Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases Section at Philippine General Hospital. Her expertise includes NTDs, particularly leprosy, chronic wound management, disability prevention and community-based skin health services.
She has led clinical and operational research on leprosy, wound care, stigma and integrated approaches to managing skin NTDs. Her work includes research on wound management in resource-limited settings and the use of telehealth to strengthen rehabilitation and disability prevention for people affected by leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and other chronic conditions. She brings expertise in clinical care, wound management, implementation research and integrated rehabilitation.
Professor Charles Mackenzie
Biography
Professor Charles Mackenzie is a pathologist specializing in tropical and infectious diseases, with more than 40 years of experience in research and NTD programmes in Africa and Latin America. He has served as Associate Director for Technical Development at the NTD Support Center, Task Force for Global Health, focusing on laboratory capacity, country programme support and the elimination of LF and onchocerciasis. His research experience includes work at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Michigan State University.
He has contributed extensively to laboratory support systems for NTD elimination and to the development of morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) within the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. He served as Chair of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) from 2017 to 2026 and has participated in technical committees supporting patient care and disease elimination programmes.
Professor Christine Moffatt
Biography
Professor Christine Moffatt is Emeritus Professor at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and Life President of the International Lymphoedema Framework and the Leg Ulcer Forum. She is also a Nurse Consultant at the Copenhagen Wound Healing Centre, where she leads a research team. She has more than 35 years of experience in wound care and 25 years in lymphoedema management, combining clinical practice, research and service development.
Her expertise includes compression therapy, chronic wound management, lymphoedema care, psychosocial aspects of chronic conditions and health service development and evaluation. She has led national and international clinical trials and conducted extensive mixed-methods research.
Dr David G. Addiss
Biography
Dr David G. Addiss is a physician and medical and public health epidemiologist with extensive experience in NTDs, particularly LF. He currently serves as Special Advisor at the Task Force for Global Health, USA, and holds an academic appointment at Emory University. Previously, he worked as a medical epidemiologist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and held several leadership positions at the Task Force for Global Health.
He has contributed extensively to LF elimination, including research on antifilarial treatment, lymphoedema management, patient support and health-related stigma. He currently serves on WHO Regional Technical Advisory Group (RTAG) for Lymphatic Filariasis in the South-East-Asia Region and previously chaired a WHO Guideline Development Group on strongyloidiasis control. With more than 200 scientific publications and extensive experience in technical advisory committees, clinical research and public health ethics, he brings expertise in evidence appraisal, guideline development and patient-centred approaches to LF care.
Dr Kebede Deribe Kassaye
Biography
Dr Kebede Deribe Kassaye is a public health expert with more than 20 years of experience in research and the design, implementation and evaluation of health programmes in Africa. His expertise includes NTDs, health systems research and epidemiology, with a particular focus on lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis.
His research has contributed to disease mapping, identification of lymphoedema cases and integrated morbidity management and disability prevention programmes in Ethiopia, Cameroon and Rwanda. He has extensive experience in policy-oriented research, evidence synthesis and programme implementation, with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.
Dr Laura Dean
Biography
Dr Laura Dean is a public health specialist and leads the Mental Health, Inclusion, Neglected Tropical Disease and Disability Research Group at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), United Kingdom. Her research focuses on health systems strengthening, chronic disease management, disability inclusion and the integration of mental health services, particularly in Africa and South Asia.
She has led multidisciplinary, collaborative research programmes using implementation science and people-centred approaches to improve equitable access to health services. Her work emphasizes gender equity, social inclusion and meaningful engagement of people with lived experience in research and health systems development.
Professor Linda Batsa Debrah
Biography
Prof. Linda Batsa Debrah is an Associate Professor of Medical Parasitology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and a Senior Research Fellow at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Ghana. She specializes in neglected tropical diseases, particularly lymphatic filariasis, with extensive experience in clinical trials, antifilarial treatment evaluation and operational research.
She is the Principal Investigator of the TAKeOFF project in Ghana, focusing on lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis, and has contributed to research on doxycycline-based treatment for filarial infections. She also serves as Director of the German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC). With more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and extensive experience in scientific review and research in endemic settings.
Ms Marie Martha Desir
Biography
Ms Marie Martha Desir is a registered nurse with extensive experience in clinical care, psychosocial support and community-based management of LF. From 2014 to 2023, she served as Director of Clinical Services at the LF Clinic and Reference Center in Léogâne, Haiti, where she provided clinical and psychosocial care to people affected by LF. She also supported the establishment of patient-led “Hope Clubs” across ten regions, promoting peer support, self-care and social inclusion.
Her professional experience includes nursing education, emergency and surgical care with Médecins Sans Frontières, and public health consultancy for WHO in the African Region. She currently works in the United States, providing clinical and rehabilitative care. She brings practical expertise in LF morbidity management, patient-centred care, psychosocial support and community engagement.
Mr Ram Kumar Mahato
Biography
Mr Ram Kumar Mahato is a Senior Public Health Officer in Nepal and serves as the national focal point for the LF Elimination Programme. He holds a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology and has more than 15 years of experience in public health, disease elimination programmes, research, and programme monitoring and evaluation, with a particular focus on LF including MMDP.
He has contributed to the development and implementation of national LF strategies, guidelines, surveillance systems and operational research. His experience includes mass drug administration, LF morbidity assessment, training of health workers in MMDP, and strengthening access to care for people affected by LF. He has also participated in WHO and regional technical consultations on LF elimination and patient care.
Professor Suma Krishnasastry
Biography
Professor Suma Krishnasastry is a physician, medical educator and researcher with more than 35 years of experience in clinical medicine, public health and neglected tropical diseases, particularly LF. She currently serves as an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Emeritus Scientist and Director of the Filariasis Research Unit, a WHO Collaborating Centre for MMDP in LF, at Government T. D. Medical College, Alappuzha, India. She previously served as Principal and Dean of the institution.
Since 1989, she has contributed to international multicentre clinical trials and operational research on LF, including studies informing treatment strategies, morbidity management and patient care. She has served on WHO expert panels, technical advisory groups and national and international committees, contributing to research, policy development and capacity strengthening.
Dr Vijesh Sreedhar Kuttiatt
Biography
Dr Vijesh Sreedhar Kuttiatt is a clinician-scientist and Scientist F (Medical) at the Indian Council of Medical Research–Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry, India. He heads the Unit of Clinical and Molecular Medicine and the Filariasis Management Clinic. His research focuses on neglected tropical diseases, particularly MMDP in LF, combining clinical research, operational studies and programme implementation.
He has contributed to clinical and community-based research on LF, including the implementation of triple-drug therapy and studies on lymphoedema progression, adherence to self-care practices, skin infections and associated risk factors. He is a member of the national committee developing India's MMDP guidelines for filariasis and is involved in postgraduate teaching and doctoral supervision. His work also addresses gender-related barriers to care and health service access among underserved populations.
Disclaimer
In order to enhance its management of conflicts of interest and strengthen public trust and transparency in WHO meetings and activities involving the provision of technical and normative advice, the names and brief biographies of individuals (“Published Information”) being considered for participation in a WHO-convened Guideline Development Group are disclosed for public notice and comment.
The Published Information is provided by the experts themselves and is the sole responsibility of the individuals concerned. WHO is not responsible for the accuracy, veracity or completeness of the Published Information provided. Furthermore, WHO shall not be responsible or liable for damages arising from the use of, or reliance upon, the Published Information.
Guideline Development Groups provide technical and normative advice and recommendations to WHO. Participation in a WHO-convened Guideline Development Group does not necessarily mean that the views expressed by an expert are shared by WHO or represent the decisions or stated policies of the Organization.
The list of participating experts, a summary of relevant interests disclosed by those experts, and any appropriate measures taken by WHO to manage conflicts of interest will be reported publicly in accordance with WHO policies.