WANTED: LEADERS FOR A TB FREE WORLD

This World TB Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership, joined hands to rally their forces behind the theme for the 2018 World TB Day campaign, “Wanted: Leaders for a TB Free World. Make History. End TB.” The first ever joint advocacy and communications campaign was launched by WHO and the Stop TB Partnership to support thousands of partners, activists and persons affected by TB to galvanize momentum to end TB.

The theme is critical for 2018, given the political importance of the upcoming UN General Assembly High Level Meeting (HLM) on TB which will bring together Heads of States. The upcoming India TB Summit 12-17 March will continue the high level dialogue that was started in Moscow last year during the WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB, and will set the stage for the September 2018 UN HLM on TB, where Heads of State are expected to commit to an ambitious plan of action to put the world on track to ending TB.

During the week of 19-24 March, WHO and the Stop TB Partnership are calling for greater commitment and leadership to end TB, not only at the political level with Heads of State and Ministers of Health, but at all levels from Mayors, Governors, parliamentarians and community leaders, to people affected with TB, civil society advocates, health workers, doctors or nurses, NGOs and other partners. All can be leaders of efforts to end TB in their own work or terrain.

“We would like countries and their leaders at all levels to commit to accelerate efforts so we can truly elevate the fight against TB,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “The UNHLM on TB offers us the opportunity to unite efforts against this top infectious killer. Our collective ripple can create a groundswell to save lives and end the suffering caused by this disease, which affects millions worldwide.”

“2018 is a critical year as we have an historical window of opportunity to really make huge steps towards ending TB. We need everyone from the tiniest village to the biggest capital come together, commit and act to end TB,” said Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership. “We owe this to us and future generations. Enough is enough! We must end TB!” she said.

Each year we commemorate World TB Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic impact of TB, and urge acceleration of efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

Every day, nearly 30,000 people fall ill with TB and 4500 people lose their lives to this preventable and curable disease. TB is also the major cause of deaths related to antimicrobial resistance and the leading killer of people with HIV. The social and economic impacts are devastating and include stigma and discrimination. Progress in most countries is stalling and is not fast enough to reach global targets or close persistent gaps in TB care and prevention.

Source: who.net