Latest news and updates from WHO Dear colleagues and friends World TB Day this year comes at a sobering time as the world grapples with the COVID 19 pandemic We stand in solidarity with those affected those at the frontlines of the fight to combat COVID 19 as well as those who continue efforts to support those ill with longstanding health problems like TB HIV and other diseases However we cannot forget the millions and their families who battle TB every day and lose their lives to this ancient disease which remains the world s top infectious killer As eloquently emphasized by WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his press briefing on COVID 19 yesterday I d like to remind everyone that although COVID 19 is dominating the world s attention there is another respiratory disease that is both preventable and treatable but kills 1 5 million people every year that disease is tuberculosis It s Time the focus for World TB Day this year is therefore on urgently accelerating the TB response to save lives and end suffering even in times of crisis This will be essential if we are to reach the targets and commitments made by Heads of State at the 2018 UN High Level Meeting on TB We have made important strides against the TB epidemic to date We announced last year that more people received life saving treatment for tuberculosis in 2018 than ever before largely due to improved detection and diagnosis Globally 7 million people were diagnosed and treated for TB up from 6 4 million in 2017 enabling the world to meet one of the milestones towards the United Nations political declaration targets on TB and the WHO Director General Flagship Initiative Find Treat All End TB jointly with Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund This has been a big win for the TB community WHO is working with countries to roll out important guidelines including a comprehensive package on TB preventive treatment released today and updated MDR TB guidelines to promote the use of all oral regimens for patients with drug resistant TB which would be helpful particularly at this point when visiting health centers is a challenge Furthermore WHO has developed a note to guide and urge countries to ensure continuity of TB services during the COVID 19 pandemic We are strengthening our collaboration with civil society more information is highlighted in the WHO Civil Society Taskforce Progress Review released today Youth mobilization is being ramped up through the WHO 1 1 Youth Initiative to end TB and the Global Youth Declaration to End TB Multisectoral accountability is being promoted in countries through our framework and we have finalized a new global strategy on TB research and innovation that will be reviewed by the World Health Assembly Yet the gains we have made are at risk if there is any slackening of commitment and action especially in times of crisis We are at a crossroads and we need to unite forces to take the path of success that will save lives and end suffering I was especially heartened today to see the TB community coming together like never before We all took our events to the virtual realm due to COVID 19 lockdowns The WHO Online Talk Show held this afternoon had a powerful line up of speakers that included TB survivors and advocates civil society high level government representatives heads of agencies researchers and partners As of this evening we have surpassed 10 000 views on YouTube I also participated in townhalls organized by Stop TB Partnership Our joint efforts have indeed ensured a continuing spotlight on those affected by TB and clearly shows that no matter what the barrier we can surpass it if we work together I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you all virtually and recommit to champion End TB efforts till we reach the finish line It s time to deliver on our promises and ensure no one is left behind It s time to End TB Dr Tereza KasaevaDirectorGlobal TB ProgrammeWorld Health Organization World TB Day Talk Show In the backdrop of the global battle against COVID 19 WHO organized a special online talk show to mark World TB Day 2020 The talk show had a powerful line up of speakers from among TB survivors and advocates civil society high level government representatives heads of agencies researchers and partners The video was streamed live on WHO s Youtube channel crossing over 10 000 views in a few hours Watch the talk show video Spotlight on TB Preventive Treatment New WHO recommendations to prevent tuberculosis aim to save millions of lives 24 March 2020 News release Geneva New World Health Organization WHO guidance will help countries accelerate efforts to stop people with tuberculosis TB infection becoming sick with TB by giving them preventive treatment A quarter of the world s population is estimated to be infected with TB bacteria These people are neither sick nor contagious However they are at greater risk of developing TB disease especially those with weakened immunity Offering them TB preventive treatment will not only protect them from becoming sick but also cut down on the risk of transmission in the community Read more The full package is available below and at our World TB Day Campaign Page WHO Civil Society Taskforce on TB Progress Review The WHO Civil Society Taskforce provides a platform for meaningful engagement of civil society building on the commitment of the Director General with emphasis on harnessing the untapped potential in engagement with civil society and affected communities al all levels To mark World TB Day 2020 the Task Force has released a Progress Review highlighting key achievements since its formation in 2018 Access link here WHO eTB guidelines A digital platform to promote adolopment of TB recommendations WHO Global TB Programme McMaster University The WHO Global Tuberculosis TB Programme in collaboration with McMaster University Canada is developing a smart platform to improve access to and use of all WHO recommendations on TB prevention and care The WHO eTB guidelines platform will facilitate the adoption adaptation and implementation adolopment by countries of recommendations across the continuum of care This digital platform will provide a variety of users TB programme managers healthcare workers including nurses researchers patients and affected communities with easy access to all essential information about WHO s current policy guidance on TB The first set of recommendations on TB preventive treatment were released on this new platform on World TB Day WHO eTB guidelines platform Infographic TB and COVID 19 24 March 2020 News release Geneva As the world comes together to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic it is important to ensure that essential health services and operations are continued to protect the lives of people with TB and other diseases or health conditions Health services including national programmes to combat TB need to be actively engaged in ensuring an effective and rapid response to COVID 19 while ensuring that TB services are maintained Read more Let s never forget It s time to end TB Ksenia Schenina Ksenia Schenina 24 March 2020 Photo story On World TB Day 2020 the theme Its time stresses the urgency to end the TB epidemic TB survivor and advocate Ksenia Schenina talks about her struggle with the disease the persistence of stigma and the role that remembrance can play in fighting it Through her TB memorial project she aims to remember those who passed away from this terrible and ancient disease We do it to show what kind of people they were what kind of things they liked what kind of music they listened to and what their favorite movies were if they liked fishing or dreamt of a flight to space she says Read more Commentary To end TB we must invest in research and innovation 24 March 2020 Commentary If the world is to get anywhere near ending TB a disease that killed more than 1 5 million people in 2018 something significant needs to change TB remains the world s leading infectious killer and yet in the last 50 years only three new drugs and regimes have been developed to combat the disease What we need is more research and more tools in the pipeline better diagnostics more effective vaccines and safer shorter drug regimes explains Dr Tereza Kasaeva Director of the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis Programme Read more Emily A Day in the Life of a TB Nurse Maria Emily C Ballesteros Watch this story of Emily a nurse managing the tuberculosis TB program of the City Health Office in Tuguegarao City Her dream for Tuguegarao is to one day see zero TB cases and that no one dies from this infectious disease Nurses and healthcare workers play a critical role in TB prevention and care It s time to invest in them to improve healthcare for all We thank all the nurses midwives and healthcare workers working to EndTB Watch the video Updates and messages New research tool supports scale up of digital technologies to End TB 24 March 2020 TDR news item National anti tuberculosis efforts are increasingly involving digital technologies such as mobile applications to support treatment adherence and electronic surveillance systems that enable real time monitoring of a country s TB situation Read more World TB Day 2020 It s Time for solidarity 24 March 2020 HIV TB news item At this unique time in history when the world is grappling with the COVID 19 pandemic the WHO Department of Global HIV Hepatitis and STI Programmes stands in solidarity with governments and communities as they seek to maintain health services and continue to address the needs of patients suffering from HIV and tuberculosis TB Read more New shorter treatment to prevent TB to be rolled out in five high TB burden countries 24 March 2020 news itemThree month regimen expected to prevent TB in those at highest risk of developing the disease including people living with HIV and children under the age of five Today the Aurum Institute and its partners as part of the IMPAACT4TB project announced that five high burden TB countries will roll out a new shorter drug regimen known as 3HP to prevent TB The announcement comes as countries around the world mark World TB Day which takes place every year on March 24th Countries that will initially provide the new regimen with funding from Unitaid U S PEPFAR and the Global Fund include Cambodia Ethiopia Kenya Malawi South Africa and Zimbabwe More than 120 000 patient courses of 3HP will be delivered by the project to 12 countries in 2020 An additional 1 million patient courses are expected to reach low and middle income countries by the end of the year through the combined support of Unitaid Global Fund the Stop TB Partnership s Global Drug Facility GDF and PEPFAR Read more