Dear friends and colleagues,
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, and thank you for joining us today, from wherever you are in the world.
I still remember my first meeting with many of you during the Ministerial Conference on TB in Moscow, in November 2017.
Your passion, urgency and commitment left a clear impression on me then, and they remain vital to the global response to TB now.
This year presents one of the most serious challenges the global tuberculosis response has faced.
The funding cuts we have seen to bilateral aid in many developing countries are not just numbers on a spreadsheet: they are decisions with life-or-death consequences.
They threaten to reverse decades of hard-won gains.
That’s why your commitment – your voice – is so important at this critical time. Your work and your voices are vital for protecting the health, equity, and dignity of all people affected by TB.
I am especially pleased to welcome colleagues from the CHANGE and TB Community Coordination Hub, who continue to be fierce advocates for gender equity, human rights, and the central role of communities in global health.
Thank you for the letter you sent me, along with the letters I received from the Civil Society Task Force, and the Brazilian TB and HIV civil society.
In the past few months I have spoken to many ministers, and the impact on their programmes of the sudden cuts in official development assistance is severe.
We are seeing treatment interruptions, clinics closed, health workers losing their jobs, supply chains and information services disrupted, and more.
This is not just for TB, but for malaria, HIV, neglected tropical diseases, vaccination, maternal and child health, sexually transmitted infections, family planning, outbreak detection and more.
WHO has a critical role in supporting countries to navigate this challenging period and sustain health services.
At the same time, many health ministers have told me that they also see this crisis as an opportunity to leave behind the era of aid dependency and move towards sustainable self-reliance, by mobilizing domestic resources.
WHO will support them to make that transition, and your voices will also be essential in that process.
This Townhall is more than a dialogue. It’s an opportunity to reflect on where we are, and to move forward together with common purpose towards a common destination.
Now is the time to show that community engagement is not optional or symbolic; it’s essential and measurable.
We must hold fast to the principles of equity, justice, and solidarity.
We must advocate for sustainable financing that protects the most vulnerable.
And we must amplify the voices of affected communities.
In my recent joint statement with the task force, we called on civil society to continue leading in three essential ways.
First, by working closely with national and local governments to sustain vital TB services in this time of crisis, to strengthen health systems, and foster resilience and country ownership.
Second, by deepening collaboration with one another: to align strategies, pool resources, and amplify impact across movements, sectors, and borders.
And third, by continuing to raise your voices and concerns, highlighting community realities and priorities.
Thank you once again for your continuing commitment to this task force, and to the communities you serve.
The global health landscape has changed dramatically, but our resolve has not.
End TB? Yes we can.
Thank you.