Emergency TB Response in the DRC: Parliament, Civil Society, and National Programme Unite to Safeguard Services

Amid escalating challenges to the tuberculosis (TB) response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a high-level tripartite meeting was convened in Kinshasa this week. The meeting brought together the DRC Parliamentary TB Caucus, representatives from TB civil society, and the National TB Programme (NTP) to coordinate urgent action in the face of a national health crisis.

The meeting responded to the critical disruption of TB services caused by recent funding cuts, while also evaluating the status of support from the Global Fund. With TB patients facing increasing barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and care, participants committed to immediate, coordinated action to protect and restore the country’s TB response.

Members of the Parliamentary TB Caucus reaffirmed their political commitment to TB and pledged to mobilize action at the highest levels of government.

“We cannot allow decades of hard-won progress to be undone in a matter of months. Parliament must act now to secure emergency funding and push for the release of frozen support. Lives are at stake,” said Hon. Charles Kapenda, member of the DRC Parliamentary TB Caucus.

“This crisis demands bold and immediate political leadership. Parliamentarians have a duty to hold our government accountable and ensure that TB is not sidelined. The voices of affected communities must be heard,” added Hon. Léon Mondole, Chair of the Parliamentary TB Caucus in DRC.

Civil society representatives shared urgent updates from the ground, highlighting the devastating human impact of service interruptions and reinforcing the need for people-centred, accountable leadership.

“People with TB are already facing stigma, poverty, and poor access to care. With services interrupted, the consequences are devastating,” said Maxime Lunga, representative of Stop TB Partnership DRC. “We welcome this space for collaboration and urge authorities to prioritize people over politics.”

National TB Programme Calls for Cross-Sector Action

The National TB Programme stressed the urgency of financial intervention and the importance of collaborative leadership across sectors.

“The programme is doing everything possible with extremely limited resources. We need urgent financial intervention to continue delivering diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care,” said Dr. Jean Pierre Malemba, Director of the NTP. “This meeting is a critical step in aligning political, technical, and community voices.”

A Joint Roadmap for Emergency Action

The meeting concluded with a unified call to action. Agreed next steps include:

• A working session with the Ministries of Health and Finance to identify immediate funding options

• Parliamentary outreach to drive emergency domestic resource mobilization

• Strengthened collaboration with technical and donor partners to sustain the TB response

• Continued civil society engagement to ensure the perspectives of affected communities are at the centre of the response

As the DRC navigates this critical moment, this tripartite alliance—anchored in parliamentary leadership—demonstrates a collective will to act, protect hard-fought gains, and deliver on the promise of ending TB for all.