World Tuberculosis Day 2020! It’s time to End TB!

World TB Day is observed on March 24 each year to raise public awareness and understanding about the world’s deadliest infectious killer – tuberculosis (TB) and it’s devastating health, social and economic impact on people around the world.

World Tuberculosis Day 2020

March 24 marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease. However, TB still claims 4500 people lives each day and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. The emergence of drug-resistant TB poses a major health threat that could put at risk the gains made to end the global TB epidemic.

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World TB Day is an opportunity to focus on the people affected by this disease and to call for accelerated action to end TB suffering and deaths.

The theme of World TB Day 2020 – ‘It’s time’

The theme of World TB Day 2020 – ‘It’s time’ – puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to:

• Scale up access to prevention & treatment
• Ensure sufficient & sustainable financing including for research
• Promote equitable, rights-based & people-centered TB response
• Promote an end to stigma & discrimination
• Build accountability

This is the momentum behind this year’s World TB Day theme: ‘It’s time’! It’s time! – means there is not a moment to lose to achieve the promises made during the UNHLM on TB, and endorsed by the UN General Assembly, which could save millions of lives. It’s time! – stresses on the need to close gaps in care as part of WHO’s overall drive towards universal health coverage, and urges countries to work together with WHO, Stop TB and the Global Fund to realise their joint initiative Find. Treat. All. #EndTB.

All partners, communities and those affected by TB must act now and drive their initiatives forward.

IT’S TIME TO ENSURE NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND. IT’S TIME FOR THE WORLD TO TAKE ACTION TO END TB.

WHO announces updates on new molecular assays for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and drug resistance

Rapid Communication: Key changes to the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis

People-centred framework for tuberculosis programme planning and prioritization, User guide

National Tuberculosis Management Guideline 2019, Nepal

Dissemination of Findings and Recommendations of Joint External Monitoring Mission(JEMM) of Nepal National Tuberculosis Program

Global Tuberculosis Report 2019: Latest status of the tuberculosis epidemic

Message

• This World TB Day’s theme is ‘It’s time’. It’s time to translate commitments to end TB into urgent action.
• Ending TB by 2030 needs political will, financial resources, multisectoral engagement and community ownership. It’s time for accountability to ensure that we are on track to reach our goal.
• Stigmatizing people with TB inhibits care and is socially devastating. It’s time to stand against stigma and discrimination.
• More effective medicines, vaccines and tools are urgently needed to break the trajectory of the TB epidemic. It’s time to scale up investments in TB research and innovation.
• 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.

Access to care

• 1 in 3 people with TB do not access quality care. It’s time for universal access to find and treat all people with quality care.
• Affordable and quick diagnosis is the first step towards timely TB care. It’s time for universal access to rapid molecular diagnostic tests.
• 2 in 3 people with drug-resistant TB do not access treatment. WHO recommends fully-oral treatment regimens to replace injectables. This will improve treatment outcomes and save lives. It’s time to ensure access to fully-oral treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB.
• 1 in 2 children with TB miss out on access to quality TB care, risking serious illness and death. It’s time to ensure no child is left behind.

Prevention

• 1 in 4 people have TB infection but TB preventive treatment can stop the infection from developing into disease. It’s time to prevent TB to end TB.
• People in close contact with TB patients, especially children, and people living with HIV are at high risk of developing TB. It’s time ensure TB preventive treatment for those who are most vulnerable.
• Only 1 in 4 of the children under 5 years who are eligible for TB preventive treatment receive it. It’s time for TB prevention, to protect yourself and your family.

What can we do? 

• RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TB: It’s time to understand more about TB
• ADVOCATE ALONGSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY LEADER AND YOUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES: It’s time to be an #End TB champion. 
• STIMULATE LEADERSHIP AND ACTION BY ORGANIZING AN ACTIVITY: It’s time to work together to #EndTB
• USE AND ADAPT OUR CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: It’s time to play your part as an #EndTB influencer 
• MAKE SOME NOISE TO END TB ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS: It’s time! It’s time for action. It’s time to End TB. 

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Recommended readings

• Global Tuberculosis Report 2019: Latest status of the tuberculosis epidemic
• Dissemination of Findings and Recommendations of Joint External Monitoring Mission(JEMM) of Nepal National Tuberculosis Program
• National Tuberculosis Programme Annual Report 2018
• National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Prevention, Care and Control 2016 – 2021
• NTP, Nepal: New TB Treatment Algorithm & Regimen (Updated)
• WHO announces landmark changes in MDR-TB treatment regimens
• TB Vaccine results announce a promising step towards ending the emergency
• 7 million people receive record levels of lifesaving TB treatment but 3 million still miss out