UNITED NATIONS HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
This week is Leader's week at the United Nations General Assembly. The highlight is a High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (HLM AMR). TB is a leading component of the global AMR threat and our members have played a key role in ensuring that the international community recognises that addressing TB is necessary to address AMR.
Lord Herbert of South Downs, Global TB Caucus Chair, is attending on behalf of GTBC and made an intervention during the 2nd Panel of the HLM AMR. Lord Herbert drew attention the links between TB and AMR, calling delegates to recognise that AMR cannot be addressed without also addressing TB.
UPCOMING DISCUSSIONS ON THE GLOBAL FUND DISEASE SPLIT
On October 7-8th, the Global Fund Strategy Committee will meet to make a recommendation to the Global Fund Board as to what proportion of resources raised from the next replenishment should be devoted to HIV, TB and malaria programmes respectively.
At present, despite accounting for 48% of deaths from the three diseases, TB receives just 18.5% of the funding. The Global Fund's disease split methodology was established over a decade ago and hasn't changed since. The Stop TB Partnership and is partners are calling for an update to the disease split and our Regional Managers will soon be in touch to ask for your support.
Regional Managers will be reaching out to GTBC members in the coming week to ask for support pressing the Strategy Committee to revise the proposed disease split. For more information on what civil society are doing, see here, and click here for a GTBC briefing on the disease split.
IN THE LAST QUARTER
GPP on HIV and AIDS Launched
In July, the Global TB Caucus helped to launch the Global Parliamentary Platform on HIV and AIDS, a new initiative that will work to accelerate progress on HIV. For more information, contact us.
Indonesian TB Caucus Launched
The Indonesian TB Caucus launched in August, with Asia Pacific Co-Chair Warren Entsch MP joining a large contingent of Indonesian MPs committed to taking action on TB. More here.
Bilateral between Namibia and Zimbabwe
Leaders of Health Committees from Namibia and Zimbabwe came together to discuss common challenges and opportunities and recommit to accelerating progress against TB.
WHO AFRO Regional Director Elected
Hon Dr Faustine Ndugulile MP from Tanzania, one of the founding members of the Global TB Caucus, was elected as Regional Director for WHO Afro. We wish him the best of luck in his new role.
Congo TB Caucus Launched
The Congo TB Caucus launched in early August with a parliamentary event attended by Senator Pierre Ngayap from Cameroon, captured on national television. Click here for more.
MPs meet with Indian Minister of Health
A delegation of MPs, led by Dr Dalbir Singh, a founder of the Global TB Caucus, met with the Indian Minister of Health to discuss critical issues in the TB response.
FOCUS ON: DIAGNOSTICS
Every year:
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3 million people who develop TB are not officially diagnosed
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234,000 people develop drug-resistant TB but are not officially diagnosed
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50% of children with TB (an estimated 600,000 kids) aren't officially diagnosed.
The importance of diagnosis was recognised in the political declaration from the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB, with the following commitment:
"To accelerate progress towards timely, quality, universal access to tuberculosis services in both high- and low-burden countries, as outlined in the End TB Strategy, such that by 2027… at least 90 per cent of the estimated number of people who develop tuberculosis are reached by quality-assured diagnosis and treatment, with all those diagnosed having been initially tested with World Health Organization-recommended rapid molecular tests, and supported to complete treatment, which translates to providing life-saving treatment for up to approximately 45 million people between 2023 and 2027, including up to 4.5 million children and up to 1.5 million people with drug-resistant tuberculosis.” A/RES/78/5
Barriers
Many people with TB seek care multiple times before being assessed for TB and face significant out-of-pocket costs before being diagnosed. This 'diagnostic delay' can be compounded by problems with infrastructure and resources (such as the availability of the necessary diagnostics) and workforce gaps (such as qualified people to take samples). Stigma and discrimination can also prevent people seeking care in the first place.
Addressing these barriers requires investment in core infrastructure and systems, taking diagnosis out of the lab and closer to where people live.
Future avenues for TB diagnosis
Research and innovation has enabled major breakthroughs in TB diagnosis over the last two decades. However, existing diagnostics still have major shortcomings, such as needing consistent access to electricity and using sputum samples, which can be difficult to produce, especially for children.
Encouragingly, the research pipeline of TB diagnostics is strong. This includes non-sputum tests that can be used at the point-of-care, multiplex tests that can test for multiple diseases at the same time, and next generation gene sequencing that will transform the diagnosis and surveillance of drug-resistant TB.
Organisations like the FIND are working together with researchers and affected communities to support the development and introduction of these new tools. To ensure these diagnostics reach market and scale, investment and partnerships are essential.
Next steps
Closing diagnostic gaps is a key priority for the Global TB Caucus. We will be producing a comprehensive briefing in the coming months and supporting parliamentarians in priority countries to raise the profile of diagnosis within the TB response. Contact your Regional Manager for more information if you'd like to be involved.
COMING UP - THREE BIG EVENTS
Health Committee Chairs Meeting
GTBC will host a meeting for Chairs of Parliamentary Health Committees from the SADC countries in Lusaka in October under the leadership of Hon Dr Christopher Kalila MP.
Asia Pacific Forum alongside the Union
We will host our 10th Anniversary celebration in Bali, Indonesia alongside the Union conference with a meeting of leading MPs from across the APC region.
Africa TB Summit and Stop TB Board
The Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board meets in Abuja, Nigeria, in December. GTBC will be hosting a Summit of African MPs alongside the Board deliberations.