Ending TB Possible With Renewed, Sustained Efforts, Comprehensive Strategy

The Lancet Global Health: Comprehensive care for all individuals with tuberculosis is needed now
Riitta A. Dlodlo, director of the Department of Tuberculosis and HIV at the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), and Einar Heldal, TB consultant at The Union

“…The way forward [to prevent health service gaps in caring for individuals with TB] should … be improving data for notifications and other indicators provided by the tuberculosis recording and reporting system. We need to move urgently from modelling to action, and strengthen quality and use of the data generated by national tuberculosis programs. … It is time to ensure that the health services we already have fully care for people with tuberculosis. We should ensure universally available and accessible high-quality services and address gaps and delays by actively using tuberculosis program data complemented by operational research and surveys” (3/20).

The Lancet: Picturing health: it’s time to act on tuberculosis
Alexander Kumar, doctor and photographer associated with the School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences at King’s College London, and Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

“…The theme of 2019 World Tuberculosis Day is ‘It’s Time.’ … Scaling up access to treatment, promoting an equitable person-centered response, ensuring sustainable financing, promoting an end to stigma and discrimination, and building accountability are among the priorities. … Poverty and deprivation create breeding grounds for tuberculosis to thrive. … Renewed and sustained efforts must be made by all, for all, to build a world free of tuberculosis, not only by tackling the disease itself but also by addressing the inequality and inequity that places those at risk” (3/20).

HuffPost: We Have A New Roadmap To A World Without Tuberculosis
Madhukar Pai, professor and director of global health at McGill University, and Catharina Boehme, CEO at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)

“…How can we end TB within a generation? A bold goal needs a bold strategy. This week, “The Lancet Commission on TB: building a tuberculosis-free world” was released. … The commission provides a roadmap with five priority areas for tackling TB. The first priority calls for us to go where the patients are and offer them quality care. … The second priority calls for us to go where the missing patients are. … The third and fourth priorities focus on investment in TB. … The final priority calls for accountability…” (3/21).

The Conversation: A human-rights approach is essential to end the global TB epidemic
Madhukar Pai, professor and director of global health at McGill University

“…The Lancet Commission on TB … outlines an ambitious blueprint for ending TB within a generation. … It is possible to build a world free of TB. The Lancet Commission report offers countries a roadmap to achieve these goals and end their TB epidemics. With targeted, proven strategies, smart investments based on sound science, accelerated research and development, and a shared responsibility, we can defeat TB within a generation” (3/21).

Global Health NOW: A Roadmap for Ending the Moral Catastrophe of TB
Michael Reid, assistant professor of medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and faculty affiliate at the UCSF Institute for Global Health Diplomacy and Delivery, and Gavin Yamey, professor of global health and public policy at Duke University and director of the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health at the Duke Global Health Institute

“…[T]here is a growing momentum to address the lack of progress [to end TB]. … The Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis Report … provides that roadmap. … The report … highlights the critical importance of scaling up proven TB control strategies, … drug susceptibility testing …, and second-line drugs to treat drug-resistant TB. Improving the quality of TB care is also essential. … The report highlights that increased investment in TB control is likely to bring large economic returns. … [W]e also need new TB control technologies. … Finally, the report underscores the importance of accountability to ending the epidemic. … With bold leadership, shared responsibility, and smart investments based on sound science, we can end TB within a generation” (3/20).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

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