WHO-SEARO Member Countries adopt 'Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action'

The Member Countries of World Health Organization - Regional Office for South-East Asia (WHO - SEARO), participating in the Delhi End TB Summit, on March 14, 2018 signed and adopted the 'Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action' at the end of the Summit to end Tuberculosis (TB).

'TB free India Campaign' launched by India

India launched the 'TB free India Campaign' to eradicate TB from India by 2025, five years ahead of the global target to End TB by 2030. It also extended its support to member countries of WHO SEARO region in meeting their respective goals of becoming TB- free.

The campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 13, 2018 during the global Delhi End TB Summit at New Delhi.

Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action

• The Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action classifies the roles and responsibilities of the WHO SEARO region member countries to make their countries free of TB.

• It lauds the efforts of the member countries directed at tackling the burden of tuberculosis.

• It commends the response of the 'Delhi Call for Action', an action-oriented roadmap initiated by the countries on 16th March, 2017.

• Despite the fact that the most low-burden countries are yet to institute agenda for the early ending of TB, the Statement of Action reiterates the main objective to implement a response in each WHO - SEARO nation for ending TB by 2030.

• It also presses for meeting the milestones targeted for 2020 by reaching out to the missing 2 million BT cases and 150000 multidrug-resistant cases and commits to intensify necessary actions already agreed upon in the Delhi Call for Action.

Prioritises LEAD - INCREASE - ENABLE - SUPPLEMENT

The Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action finalises the following priorities:

• LEAD implementation of the national TB responses in countries through a national initiative that monitors the progress in achieving the End TB targets in Member States and calls for establishing a national accountability framework.

• INCREASE in the budgetary and human resource allocations by the governments and by their global and domestic partners to ensure that national TB plans are fully sponsored.

• ENABLE the best possible care to each and every person, including migrants, the aged and the others living with any form of TB including drug-resistant TB/ HIV co-infections.

• SUPPLEMENT medical care for TB with social and financial protection in a comprehensive manner.