Fifteenth meeting objectives: WHO asked STAG-TB to review and advise on the following areas of WHO global TB care and control policy, strategy, technical assistance and analytic work:
- Guidance on implementing the End TB Strategy and related efforts in promotion and supporting adaptation;
- Methods for reporting on 2015 TB targets and on the formulation of updated high TB-burden country lists;
- The policy, programmatic and funding implications of recent TB prevalence surveys;
- Target product profiles and priorities for digital health innovation in the TB response;
- Finalizing and implementing a Global Action Framework for TB Research;
- Defining key areas within a renewed WHO TB/HIV strategy.
In addition, at the meeting, the WHO Secretariat also aimed to provide updates to STAG-TB members on areas of work including: overall status of response to the MDR-TB crisis; advances of WHO and partners in supporting effective prevention and care of childhood TB; work of WHO Regional Offices in supporting adaptation and planning for implementation of the End TB Strategy; and the important complementary efforts of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in developing its next strategy.
Dr Charles (Chuck) Daley, Chair of STAG-TB worked with the Global TB Programme in developing the agenda and preparing new STAG-TB members for the meeting. He presided at the meeting. Twenty of twenty-two STAG-TB members participated in the meeting. They were joined by invited technical experts, partners from technical agencies, development and financing organizations and civil society, as well as WHO staff from Headquarters, all six Regional Offices and many WHO Country Offices.