The WHO report on the End TB Strategy reminds us of the deadly impact of tuberculosis (TB), which kills over one million people per year, and how the most vulnerable populations, like children and people affected by drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), remain undiagnosed and untreated.
UN Photo/Christopher Black
In the September 2023 UN Political Declaration on TB, world leaders committed once again to accelerate progress to end TB but progress on the ground is too slow. Médecins Sans Frontières urges all governments to turn these strong commitments into reality by putting in place national guidelines and scaling up the required resources such that all people can access lifesaving tests, drugs and preventive therapies.
We also call for more investments that are urgently needed for R&D of better tests and treatments targeting the most neglected populations, such as children with TB and DR-TB. Linking access and affordability conditions to such public funding will ensure equitable access to new lifesaving TB tools for all people.
