Newsroom
World TB Day 2023: Yes! We can end TB!
Each year on 24 March, World TB Day is observed to raise awareness and understanding of tuberculosis (TB) – one of the world’s top infectious killers, which took the lives of 1.6 million people in 20211.
The theme this year is ‘Yes! We can end TB!’ – chosen to convey a message of hope that it is possible to reach the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and 2035 World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Targets.
To achieve the elimination goals, high-level political commitment to increased investment in TB-related activities is urgently needed. Equally important is the need for multisectoral collaboration and the adoption of new innovations.
Our contribution
UNITE4TB is proud to be playing its part in tackling the TB disease burden. Our public-private partnership of 30 partners from 13 countries is working hard to deliver novel phase 2 clinical trials that will accelerate the development of new anti-TB drugs and regimens. If successful, the work of the consortium will facilitate the fulfillment of one of the main unmet needs in the TB field: well-tolerated drug regimens of shorter duration that can be deployed to tackle TB across various drug-resistant patterns and comorbidities.
Martin Boeree, UNITE4TB Project Coordinator, Radboud University Medical CentreThere is exciting progress in the development of drugs for tuberculosis. The UNITE4TB consortium is intensively engaged in these developments to help rid the world of TB.
Current status of the project
UNITE4TB is in the middle of setting up its phase 2 B/C clinical trial platform. This involves putting together a trial team, finalizing the trial protocol, incorporating inclusion of two novel compounds and multiple regimens, and establishing the final site selection. The trial will be accompanied by research activities such as pharmacology, biomarkers, and artificial intelligence that have the potential to facilitate or improve future decision-making in TB drug development.
To date, a first round of engagement has been completed with global stakeholders in TB drug development. The consortium is fortunate to benefit from the support, commitment, and insight provided by its external scientific, ethics, and community advisors. This joint effort is helping the global community progress towards the End TB Targets.
Prof Michael Hoelscher , UNITE4TB Scientific Lead, LMU University Hospital MunichUNITE4TB is closely involving the WHO and other supranational programs, but more importantly, we are also engaging with the communities and national TB programs of our partners on four continents. This will help to rapidly transition successful novel regimens into practice.
Collaborative effort
Ending TB requires collective effort and in its 2023 World TB Day campaign, the WHO lists several calls to action for Ministries of Health and other public health leaders, health workers, community representatives, TB program managers, and the general public. Let us heed this call to work together to raise awareness of TB, stimulate government representatives to act, and encourage friends and family members to get tested. Together we can accelerate efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
Joint UNITE4TB-ERA4TB webinar
In commemoration of this year’s World TB Day, UNITE4TB partnered with ERA4TB on a webinar and social media campaign focused on the importance of community-centred research.
The webinar titled, ‘Community engagement and involvement in early-stage TB research’ took place on Thursday 23 March. It included a panel discussion with members of the UNITE4TB Community Advisory Group (CAG) as well as ERA4TB researchers, patient advocates, and a TB survivor.
A social media campaign ran alongside the webinar showcasing quotes from key members of both projects on the importance of community-centred research. Take a look at our live coverage of the webinar for more information.
Watch a recording of the webinar
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1World Health Organization tuberculosis fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis