Event highlights
On 26 January 2026, a webinar on tuberculosis (TB) was held as part of the ongoing project on “Strengthening national capacities against COVID-19 and other public health emergencies”, implemented by the Department of Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products of the General Directorate of Public Health under the Ministry of Health of Türkiye and financed by the European Union Delegation to Türkiye. The session brought together national experts in microbiology and public health to discuss national laboratory surveillance systems and recent advances in diagnostic approaches for TB.
TB remains one of the world’s leading infectious diseases, requiring strong surveillance systems, rapid diagnosis and coordinated laboratory networks to support timely detection and treatment. The webinar focused on strengthening laboratory capacities and sharing experiences related to TB surveillance and diagnostics in Türkiye.
Expert presentations
The session featured two expert presentations addressing key components of TB detection and laboratory surveillance:
- TB laboratory surveillance programme and activities in Türkiye
Specialist Dr Nilay Uçarman from the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Department of Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products, General Directorate of Public Health, presented an overview of the national TB laboratory surveillance programme. The presentation highlighted the structure and activities of the reference laboratory network, surveillance practices and ongoing efforts to strengthen diagnostic capacity and monitoring systems. - Rapid diagnostic tests and new approaches in TB Associate Professor Dr Can Biçmen from the Medical Microbiology Laboratory of the University of Health Sciences Dr Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, discussed recent developments in rapid diagnostic technologies for TB. The session explored new diagnostic approaches that support faster and more accurate detection, contributing to improved patient management and public health response.
The webinar was moderated by Associate Professor Dr Yasemin Coşgun, Administrative and Education Lead, Medical Microbiology Clinic, Ankara Etlik City Hospital; and Professor Dr Nuri Özkütük, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Manisa Celal Bayar University.
Key priorities discussed
The webinar highlighted the importance of:
- strengthening national TB laboratory surveillance systems
- expanding access to rapid and accurate diagnostic tools
- supporting laboratory workforce development and knowledge exchange
- integrating innovative diagnostic approaches into routine TB control programmes.
The session concluded with an interactive discussion and questions and answers, enabling participants to exchange experiences and discuss challenges related to laboratory diagnostics and surveillance.
Target audience
The webinar series is primarily aimed at academics, microbiology specialists, epidemiologists, laboratory specialists, infectious disease clinicians, hospital infection prevention and control professionals, researchers, representatives of national reference laboratories and public health professionals. The webinars are conducted in collaboration with the Turkish Society of Microbiology and the Clinical Microbiology Specialization Association.
About the project and the series
The “Strengthening national capacities against COVID-19 and other public health emergencies” project supports efforts to enhance preparedness, surveillance and response systems, contributing to resilient health systems capable of preventing, detecting and responding to emerging and re-emerging public health threats.
The webinars are strengthening professional engagement and technical exchange across the microbiology and infectious diseases communities. Over the past months, the webinar series has also addressed priority topics such as influenza, antimicrobial resistance and legionellosis, reflecting its comprehensive approach to strengthening national capacities across a range of priority public health threats.
Next session
The next planned session will focus on Candida auris and fungal infections, addressing their growing importance as emerging threats in health-care settings and their implications for infection prevention, laboratory diagnosis and antimicrobial resistance. The series will continue in the coming months with additional priority pathogens and other public health-relevant themes.
Registration
All webinars in the series are free to attend. Registration in advance is required and is conducted through the official registration links shared for each session.