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From July 23–25, 2016 at The Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery–Dubai, over 60 representatives from governments, civil society, and advocacy groups crafted detailed plans for how to practically scale up comprehensive tuberculosis (TB) programs in their countries, districts, islands, or other areas of work. Representing 19 countries and 25 institutions, these participants advised and assisted one another with hosting facilitators from the Stop TB Partnership, Interactive Research & Development, Harvard Medical School, Advance Access & Delivery, and Partners In Health. Together these five organizations are supporting the Zero TB Initiative to make rapid gains against the disease in several defined geographic areas.
Drawing upon decades of collective experience in challenging settings searching for people sick with TB, treating them, and preventing future disease, these participants analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of their programs and worked together to craft ambitious policy and programmatic responses. The workshop prioritized policy innovation, evidence-based treatment schemes, enhanced support for patients undergoing treatment, and motivated campaigns to find TB infection and active TB disease.
With these action plans in hand, these policy makers, physicians, researchers, practitioners, and advocates returned to their countries and programs ready to strengthen efforts against TB.
I am so glad that I came to this workshop. If I hadn't have been here, I would be back in my office doing the same work we have been doing for years, but now I have the tools, the network, and the energy to really make a difference in bringing down the TB burden in our city. We are going to do something and we are going to do it soon. We would like to be counted amongst those who came, heard, understood the urgency to save lives and did their part towards the Zero TB initiative. Dr. Thando Ford-Ngomane- Deputy Head: Health eThekwini Municipality