Bridging the Divide Between TB and NCDs at the UNHLM Multi-Stakeholder Hearing in New York

Earlier this month, the Global TB Caucus joined forces with TB advocates from around the world—led by the Stop TB Partnership—at the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) Multi-Stakeholder Hearing on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health in New York.

The convening brought together Member States, UN agencies, civil society, and technical partners to shape the political declaration ahead of the September 2025 UNHLM on NCDs and mental health. TB advocates were there to deliver a clear message: the global TB response must not be siloed from broader NCD strategies.

A United Front for Integration

While in New York, the Stop TB Partnership held critical dialogues with the Permanent Missions of France, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Nigeria, Brazil, Indonesia, Haiti, Peru, and Pakistan. They presented a key document outlining priority asks to elevate TB within the NCD agenda—placing an urgent spotlight on the need for coordinated, person-centred responses.

Among the core issues addressed:

• The intersection of TB with diabetes, tobacco use, and undernutrition,

• The need to align policy, programming, and financing, and

• A call to dismantle silos between vertical disease programs.

  
  

NCDs now account for 74% of global deaths, while TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, claiming 1.25 million lives in 2023. These dual epidemics are not separate challenges—they are interconnected crises that compound one another, particularly among the most vulnerable: migrants, miners, the incarcerated, and people living in poverty.

Civil Society and Communities: Essential to the Response

Throughout the hearing, TB advocates emphasized the critical role of civil society and community-led systems in driving progress. From addressing stigma to closing access gaps and ensuring accountability, grassroots movements are essential for a robust response. Advocates called for sustained and flexible funding mechanisms—including TB REACH and the Challenge Facility for Civil Society—to unlock local innovation and action.

As a global network of parliamentarians committed to ending TB, the Global TB Caucus reaffirms our support for embedding TB into broader health frameworks. We believe the time for fragmented efforts has passed. The future lies in integrated, inclusive, and well-funded solutions that protect lives and advance health equity.

As we look toward the September UNHLM on NCDs and mental health, we stand ready to work with stakeholders across sectors to ensure that no disease is left behind, and no community is left in the margins.