Are we putting money where the mouth is to reach the missing millions?

Unless we find people with TB and put them on treatment, how will we be able to reduce avoidable human suffering, untimely deaths, and break the chain of infection transmission? Finding TB remains the critical entry point to TB care pathway.
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Will the world leaders walk the talk to end TB at the upcoming UN High Level Meeting?

Leaders of all the UN member countries are expected to convene on 22nd September 2023 at the upcoming second United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB (the first one was held in September 2018). The theme of this year's UNHLM is: “Advancing science, finance and innovation, and their benefits, to urgently end the global TB epidemic, in particular by ensuring equitable access to prevention, testing, treatment and care."
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[video] Surveillance and latest TB diagnostics and treatments reduced TB rates in Georgia

[podcast] Georgia's journey of reducing TB and drug-resistant TB rates

This podcast features Dr Nino Lomtadze, Head of Surveillance and Strategic Planning Department at Georgia's National TB Programme. Georgia was among the high MDR-TB burden countries till 2016 after which TB rates (including those of drug-resistant forms) have been dropping. TB decline has been 6-7% in recent years. TB surveillance and use of latest TB diagnostics and treatments have resulted in reduction in TB rates in Georgia.
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[video] Seychelles secret to keep TB under bay: screen everyone, detect early, link to treatment and care

[podcast] Would Seychelles be the first African country to end TB?

This podcast features Dr Louine Morel, Medical Registrar, Communicable Disease Control unit, Ministry of Health of Seychelles, who was on the panel for #EndTB Dialogues (season-2), #90for90 #GlobalVoices Series. Seychelles 100% funds its fight against tuberculosis and has managed to keep TB under bay. Although there has a rise in notified cases in the recent years. Listen to more insights from Dr Morel. Seychelles is likely to be the first country in Africa to end TB, hopes Dr Louine Morel.

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[video] End TB drug shortages if we are to #endTB

[video] Vietnam study: 68% drop in TB if we screen all (not just those with symptoms) and link to standard treatment and care pathway

[podcast] Vietnam study: 68% drop in TB if we screen all (not just those with symptoms) and link to standard treatment and care pathway


Vietnam study shows 68% drop in new TB cases if we screen everyone (not just those with symptoms) and link them with standard treatment, care and support pathway. It is important to underline that Vietnam study had deployed WHO recommended molecular tests upfront to confirm TB (and rifampicin-resistant TB) and link those diagnosed with active TB disease to standard care.

This podcast features study co-author Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Binh Hoa, who is also the Vice Manager of Vietnam National TB Programme, Vice Director of National Lung Hospital, and Director of Vietnam Integrated Center for TB and Respirology Research (VICTORY), and Vice Director of Vietnam Global Fund TB project.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.
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[video] Will governments ensure access to WHO recommended TB diagnostics, treatments, and prevention?

[video] Will people take back power to demand rights-based TB services and hold governments to account?

[podcast] Will people demand rights-based WHO recommended TB services and hold governments to account?

This podcast features Eloisa 'Louie' Zepeda-Teng, a TB survivor and powerful advocate, and founder of TB People Philippines. She survived one of the rare and serious forms of TB, due to which lost her vision but rose to build people-power to demand people-centred health responses which respect disability rights and inclusion.

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[podcast] Will WHO-recommended TB diagnostics and treatments become a reality for all?

This podcast features Ani Herna Sari, Chair of Rekat Peduli Indonesia Foundation (TB survivor organisation), who calls upon the governments to ensure access to best of WHO recommended diagnostics, treatments, care and support, and prevention services for everyone. Ani was a lecturer in one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Indonesia before the TB bacteria changed her life course, and led her to found Rekat Peduli Indonesia for larger good.
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[video] Detecting TB is very critical to #EndTB: WHO's Dr Arvind Mathur shares more on Laboratory On Wheels

[podcast] Detecting TB early and accurately is critical part of #EndTB strategy: Know more about TB laboratory on wheels in Timor-Leste

This podcast features Dr Arvind Mathur, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Timor-Leste. Detecting the TB cases and the diagnostics are very critical part of the #EndTB Strategy, says Dr Mathur. He shares insights on range of ways we can increase new TB case detection by using existing diagnostic technologies in local contexts, rollout of best treatment regimens for TB, and care and support needs. He shines a spotlight on one of the best examples of reaching out and serving the unreached: the TB laboratory on wheels in Timor-Leste (a mobile van which has WHO recommended Truenat molecular test and portable x-ray).
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[video] Ending TB one 'Barangay' at a time: New decentralised and point-of-care tools making a difference

[podcast] Fighting TB one 'Barangay' at a time: New decentralised & point-of-care tools making a difference

This podcast features Dr Samantha Tinsay, Municipal Health Officer, Bantayan Municipality, Cebu, Philippines, who shares her team's experience of deploying new TB diagnostic tools (ultra-portable x-ray of Fujifilm, and molecular test Truenat of Molbio Diagnostics) in Bantayan islands or islets.

More importantly. she shares the context how these new tools (xray and molecular test Truenat) were taken on a 'pump boat' (a utility boat in Philippines) from one islet to another for active case finding, and how these tools worked effectively on the ground - in very basic infrastructure (like under a tent) - and braving extreme weather conditions too.

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[video] To detect TB is to fight TB: Diagnosis is critical entry point towards #EndTB

[podcast] To detect TB is to fight TB: Diagnosis is critical entry point to TB care pathway

This podcast features Sumit Mitra, President of Global Sales and Marketing, Molbio Diagnostics, who asserts "To detect TB is to fight TB." Diagnosis is critical entry point to TB care pathway and towards #EndTB, he says. As per Government's 2021 and 2022 India TB Reports, Molbio's Truenat molecular test, was the most used molecular test in India to diagnose TB among those with presumptive TB, and detect drug resistance upfront. It is currently rolled out in over 40 countries - most of them are high TB burden nations in Asia and Africa. Apart from accurately diagnosing TB within an hour, Truenat molecular test is also effective in diagnosing a range of ~40 diseases, such as, malaria, HIV (viral load), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papilloma virus (HPV), dengue, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), among others.

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[video] Timely and correct diagnosis helps to avert untimely deaths and reduce suffering

[podcast] Multi-disease, point-of-care and decentralised molecular testing should be the norm, says Sriram Natarajan

This podcast features Sriram Natarajan, cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of Molbio Diagnostics - who leads the team behind Truenat - the only World Health Organization (WHO) approved and recommended point-of-care and decentralised molecular test for TB globally. Timely and correct diagnosis helps to avert untimely deaths, and reduce human suffering, says Sriram Natarajan. For infectious diseases, timely and correct diagnosis helps break the chain of infection transmission. Diagnosis remains the key entry point to treatment and care pathway, and towards disease elimination.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.
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[video] Ending wars, conflicts and crises, is as vital as it is to end TB in Lebanon

[podcast] Global peace is integral to end TB goal, says Dr Hiam Yaacoub of Lebanon


This podcast features Dr Hiam Yaacoub, who has been the National TB Programme Manager of Lebanon since 2012. She is a senior specialist in respiratory medicine and TB at the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon since 1994 onwards. A World Health Organization WHO TB and drug-resistant TB Expert, Dr Hiam Yaacoub is a noted part of Lebanese Pulmonary Society and Lebanese Order of Physicians since 1993.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.
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[video] Despite progress against TB in Indonesia (with 95% molecular tests for TB screening), challenges remain

[podcast] Is Indonesia on track to end TB by 2030? Insights from Dr Imran Pambudi


This podcast features Dr Imran Pambudi, Director of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Indonesia Ministry of Health. He is also a senior Medical Faculty of Airlangga University and ASEAN Institute of Health Development Program, Mahidol University, Thailand.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.
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Outcomes of the post-UNHLM on TB meet hosted by Blossom Trust and Rainbow TB Forum on 25 September 2023

1. RATIONALE: India has efficient TB testing methods (such as, WHO recommended laboratory-independent, point-of-care and de-centralised molecular test) for TB infection, but we need to make sure that everyone has access to them as per the WHO guidelines. Molecular test must be the first initial test for every person with presumptive TB upfront because microscopy underperforms to detect TB. Currently, there is limited access (only 23% of people with presumptive TB were tested using a TB molecular test in 2022 as per India TB Report). 

FIRST ACTION POINT: We need to ensure that TB tests that underperforms like smear microscopy is 100% replaced by laboratory-independent, point-of-care and decentralised molecular test at the earliest, and communities are made aware about their existence and demand for them.
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[video] Is Ghana on track to end TB by 2030?

[podcast] Ghana's 100% TB molecular testing is vital yet a long way to end TB goalpost


This podcast features Dr Yaw Adusi-Poku, Programme Manager of National TB Control, Ghana Health Service. Dr Yaw Adusi-Poku is a senior Physician Specialist (public health) too.

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