New global commitment to ramp up action on four fronts to end Tuberculosis

Islamabad: Ministers from 75 countries have made a collective commitment to ramp up action on four fronts in a bid to end Tuberculosis, which still kills more people than any other infectious disease.
The commitment came Friday at the first WHO ‘Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Tuberculosis in the Sustainable Development Era: A Multi-sectoral Response,’ which brought together delegates from 114 countries in Moscow.
More than 1000 participants took part in the two-day conference, which agreed to take action on the four fronts: move rapidly to achieve universal health coverage by strengthening health systems and improving access to people-centered TB prevention and care, ensuring no one is left behind; mobilize sufficient and sustainable financing through increased domestic and international investments to close gaps in implementation and research; advance research and development of new tools to diagnose, treat, and prevent TB; and build accountability through a framework to track and review progress on ending TB, including multi-sectoral approaches. Ministers also promised to minimize the risk and spread of drug resistance and do more to engage people and communities affected by, and at risk of, TB. In addition to ministers and country delegations, the meeting was attended by representatives of civil society and international organizations, scientists, and researchers.
The Moscow Declaration to End TB is a promise to increase multi-sectoral action as well as track progress, and build accountability. It will also inform the first UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on TB in 2018, which will seek further commitments from heads of state.
Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 53 million lives since 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 37%. However, progress in many countries has stalled, global targets are off-track, and persistent gaps remain in TB care and prevention.
As a result, TB still kills more people than any other infectious disease. There are major problems associated with antimicrobial resistance, and it is the leading killer of people with HIV.