Translating global and regional political commitments towards ending TB into action in the South-East Asia region, Bangkok, Thailand, 23–25 April 2024
Overview
The South-East (SE) Asia Region has shown enormous political commitment towards ending TB, starting in March 2017, when Ministerial Meeting on Ending TB in the SE Asia Region was held in Delhi. Subsequently, high-level meetings were successfully held in 2018 and 2021. In 2023, a high-level ministerial meeting “Sustain, Accelerate and Innovate to End TB in the South-East Asia Region” was held on 16-17 August 2023, at Gandhinagar, Gujarat with an overall objective of reinvigorating the political commitment and preparation for UNHLM on TB in September 2023. This high-level ministerial meeting led to the “Gandhinagar Declaration”.
At the UN high-level meeting (UNHLM) in New York on 22 September 2023, the Heads of the States, Delegates, and Representatives from the Member States committed to a “Political Declaration” that sets ambitious targets for service coverage. In alignment with the DG WHO’s flagship initiative, countries committed to achieving by 2027, at least 90 percent of the estimated number of people who develop TB are to be reached with quality assured diagnosis and treatment, which translates to approximately 45 million people between 2023 and 2027 globally; at least 90 percent of people at high risk of developing tuberculosis are provided with preventive treatment, which translates to providing up to approximately 45 million people with TB preventive treatment globally; 100 percent of people with tuberculosis have access to a health and social benefits package, among other targets.
The tuberculosis unit of the WHO South-East (SE) Asia Regional office organizes NTP managers and stakeholders’ meetings to discuss the progress and challenges and share best practices for strengthening the national tuberculosis programmes (NTP) of the Member States. In 2024, the title of this meeting was “Translating global and regional political commitments towards ending TB into action in the South-East Asia Region” held in Bangkok, Thailand from 23-25 April 2024.
