Event highlight
The WHO Country Office in Ukraine and WHO/Europe started the first stage of national consultations in Ukraine to improve the fight against tuberculosis (TB). This is the first external mission on TB to Ukraine since COVID-19, conducted despite the war. The consultations aimed to revise Ukraine’s national policy on systematic screening and preventive treatment of TB, which are the most effective measures to slow down the disease. These consultations are part of the European Prevention and Systematic Screening Initiative to End TB (PASS to End TB), a powerful support network to help the WHO European Region achieve the goal of eliminating TB by 2030, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Invited at the request of the Public Health Center of Ukraine, on 16–18 July WHO experts met in Lviv with representatives of the Center, health-care institutions of the Lviv region and key partners of the National Tuberculosis Programme – including scientists and representatives of the TB service, the main recipients of Global Fund grants, public organizations, academia and others.
Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine is showing significant progress with its TB control programme. A national policy to combat TB was developed, a 3-year plan to tackle the disease was approved and, according to the Public Health Center, 76% of groups at increased risk of TB were examined and access to QuantiFERON tests and short preventive treatment was expanded.
The next stage of national consultations to improve the TB response will occur at the end of October 2024. Based on the results of this mission, WHO experts will provide recommendations on the list of groups for systematic screening and preventive treatment, and determine the most effective screening tools, considering the economic feasibility and constraints that Ukraine faces as a result of the full-scale war.
Financial support for this mission was provided by the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection.
Event notice
16–18 July 2024
The WHO Country Office in Ukraine and WHO/Europe will conduct national consultations in Ukraine to improve the fight against tuberculosis (TB) despite the war.
The consultations aim to revise Ukraine’s national policy on systematic screening and preventive treatment for TB, which are the most effective measures to slow the disease.
The mission, which will be conducted on 16–18 July in Ukraine, will gather the main public health stakeholders to discuss and improve the ongoing work to fight TB in the country.