Venue & location:
Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa
About the event:
The Government of South Africa and WHO are co-organizing a high-level side event, “Together for a TB-free world: Financing and access solutions for novel TB vaccines,” on the sidelines of the G20 Health Ministers Meeting.
The objective of the side event is to foster inclusive dialogue and collaboration across sectors and geographies to promote equitable access to safe, effective and affordably priced TB vaccines, particularly in high-burden countries, as rapidly as possible.
Panellists will include ministers of health, particularly from high-burden countries, and leaders from key global and regional partner institutions, as well as representatives of civil society.
Participation in the event is by invitation only.
Overview:
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus and Minister of Health of South Africa Dr Aaron Motsaledi will join G20 health ministers, leaders of international organizations, health partners, funders and civil society representatives at a side event of the G20 Health Ministers Meeting that will focus on the findings of a new WHO assessment of the novel TB vaccines landscape and proposed solutions to accelerate equitable access and sustainable financing for novel TB vaccines.
TB remains the world’s top infectious killer, and a significant global health and development challenge. Each year, over 10 million people fall ill from TB, and more than 1 million die from the disease. At least 70% of this burden is in G20 countries and regions. Despite TB’s devasting global impact no new vaccines have been licensed in over a century. Safe, effective, affordable and accessible TB vaccines, particularly for adults and adolescents, are urgently needed to transform and accelerate the global TB response.
The WHO report, “Catalysing solutions for equitable global access for sustainable financing for novel tuberculosis vaccines for adults and adolescents,” will be launched at the event. The report presents an early understanding of the anticipated barriers, bottlenecks, challenges and market dynamics relevant to financing and access for novel TB vaccines. The assessment identifies solutions and opportunities to accelerate equitable global access to new vaccines, to protect those most at risk of illness and death from the disease and reinvigorate global efforts to end TB.
Additional background:
The report is an output of the WHO TB Vaccine Accelerator Council’s Finance and Access Working Group that is co-led by WHO, Gavi and the Government of South Africa. The Working Group was established in February 2025 to promote timely, equitable and sustainably financed access to affordable new TB vaccines for adults and adolescents, driven by public health need and fostering long-term sustainable supply. Since TB primarily impacts low- and middle-income countries and has limited market potential in high-income countries, a strategic approach to market shaping, access and financing is essential.