For World TB Day, 24 March 2016, WHO calls on governments, communities, civil society, and the private sector to “Unite to End TB”. WHO and partners are promoting dialogue and collaboration that unites individuals and communities in new ways to end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.
These efforts cut across disciplines and sectors, and can help accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) overall by contributing to other areas including poverty elimination, universal health coverage, maternal and child health, social protection and justice.
Four subthemes under the Unite to End TB theme that WHO is promoting are:
- Together we will tackle TB by stamping out poverty
- Together we will better test, treat, and cure
- Together we will stop stigma and discrimination
- Together we will drive research and innovation
Information sheets, posters and related material will be available shortly.
About World TB Day
World TB Day, 24 March, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the enormous burden of TB. With 1.5 million TB-associated deaths per year, TB is a top infectious killer worldwide. TB, HIV-associated TB and MDR-TB represent a threat to development and global health security. This day also offers the opportunity to highlight invigorated global efforts, under the SDGs, to end the TB epidemic by 2030.
The WHO End TB Strategy
WHO’s “End TB Strategy” aims to end the TB epidemic by 2030, and envisions a world free of TB with zero deaths, disease and suffering. It outlines actions by all stakeholders to enable patient-centred care, pursue bold health policy and system changes, and to drive intensified research and innovations to end the epidemic and eliminate TB.
Video message from Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson, the British actress and Mayor of London’s TB Ambassador, speaking out on the importance of joining WHO and its partners to end tuberculosis, which kills over 4 000 people each day.
