Dr. Hasitha Tissera - Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka

Dr. Tissera is a Senior Medical Epidemiologist of the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. He headed the National Dengue Control Programme from 2013 to 2019. He joined the Central Epidemiology Unit in 2002 after serving as a Regional Epidemiologist in the then war-torn Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. His responsibilities at the Epidemiology Unit encompass national surveillance of dengue, coordination of dengue case management based on National Guidelines and training of all levels of clinical and public health staff.

 

As the programme manager of the Dengue Control Programme he was responsible in planning, implementation and evaluation of all dengue control activities at national and sub-national levels.

 

Dr. Tissera is a member of the technical evaluation committee for dengue vaccine registration in Sri Lanka. He is also the Principal Investigator of a number of International Research Projects on Dengue including vaccine studies and has authored several original publications in peer reviewed journals. He serves as an expert on dengue prevention and control internationally including the WHO.

 

He received his Post-doctoral training in public health both at the Health Protection Agency – Centre for Infections (former Public Health Laboratory Services) and the Department of Health, London during 2006/08.  

 

Dr. Tissera has also been a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London.