Courtesy, World Health Organization

"Honourable Ministers, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,

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Good afternoon, and thank you all for joining us today.

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World Tuberculosis Day, this Sunday, is an opportunity to remember, to honour, to thank and to commit.

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We remember the millions of people who lose their lives to TB every year, and the millions who continue to struggle daily against this preventable and curable disease.

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We honour the health workers at the forefront of the fight to end TB.

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We thank the communities, civil society organizations, advocates, partners and donors for their tireless dedication and support.

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And we commit to carry forward the fight to end TB, which remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.

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Each day, TB kills over 3500 people, and the disease strikes close to 30,000 more.

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It takes an enormous human and social toll on those affected, their families and communities.

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Poverty, inequality, malnutrition, comorbidities, discrimination, and stigma are major drivers of the TB epidemic.

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In the political declaration of the second UN high-level meeting on TB last year, world leaders committed to concrete targets over the next four years:

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To reach 90% of people in need with TB prevention and care services;

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To use a WHO-recommended rapid test as the first method of diagnosis;

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To ensure that all people with TB have access to a health and social benefit package;

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To develop at least one new TB vaccine that is safe and effective;

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And to close funding gaps for TB implementation and research.

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If 2023 was a year of commitment, then 2024 must be a year of action, to implement those commitments and ensure millions of people benefit from life-saving services for TB prevention and care.

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We build on a strong foundation. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 75 million lives since the year 2000.

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And we are seeing some positive trends.

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Last year, we saw a significant increase in access to services for diagnosis and treatment, the highest number of people diagnosed since WHO began global TB monitoring in 1995.

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There is also some progress in the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs and vaccines.

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Last year I launched the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, to support innovative sustainable financing, market solutions and partnerships for TB vaccine research.

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WHO is also working closely with countries to support the adoption of the Multisectoral Accountability Framework, recognizing that ending TB will not be achieved by the health sector alone, but must involve all sectors and communities.

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And to that end, we continue to listen to the voices of affected communities through the WHO Civil Society Taskforce.

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I am pleased that Ashna Ashesh, a survivor of MDR-TB, and a new member of the taskforce, is here with us today.

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However, all of this progress is constrained by limited funding.

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So today I am pleased to launch a new WHO investment case for TB, to help countries advocate for more resources to close gaps in access to services for prevention and care.

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The investment case outlines the health and economic rationale for investing in evidence-based, WHO-recommended interventions , as part of every country’s journey towards universal health coverage.

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Let me leave you with three priorities for the year ahead:

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First for governments, to show leadership to translate last year's high-level commitments into action.

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Second for donors, to invest in rolling out WHO-recommended preventive treatment options, shorter treatment regimens, and rapid molecular diagnostics and tests. 

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And third, for all of us, to take action to address inequalities, stigma and discrimination.

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Thank you all for your continued leadership and partnership.

End TB? Yes, we can.

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I thank you."

Quote Courtesy: WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus