Dr. Debrah Vambe-Ruswa is a physician and distinguished public health specialist with extensive experience advancing tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) care, research, and program implementation in high-burden settings. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine Global TB Program. In this role, she is the Regional Study Manager for the CDC-funded TB GAPS Project across Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania, and the Program Director for the NIH-supported D43 Siyakhula research training program in Eswatini.

Previously, Dr. Vambe served as the DR-TB/TB/HIV Technical Advisor for the Eswatini Ministry of Health. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in driving transformative advancements in the national response to these challenging diseases including implementation of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS), introduction of new drugs and shorter regimens significantly enhancing diagnostic precision and treatment outcomes. Her work seamlessly bridges clinical practice, implementation science, and policy translation. A recognized leader in global TB policy, she has contributed to WHO guideline development and provided technical assistance to numerous African national TB programs.

In recognition of her outstanding work, Dr. Vambe was honored by the CDC as a 2024 Global TB Elimination Champion for her exceptional contributions to TB treatment and care worldwide.