About 3000 attendees from government, civil society, the private sector and the research and academic communities expected to convene in Barcelona
from 28 October – 1 November
- World Health Organization to release annual Global Tuberculosis Report in advance of the event
- Looming co-epidemic of TB and diabetes to be a major focus of the conference
- 1st international parliamentarian TB summit to precede the conference
The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) today released the complete programme for its 45th Union World Conference on Lung Health to be held in Barcelona on 28 October to 1 November 2014 and expected to attract some 3000 delegates. The conference serves as the world’s pre-eminent platform for announcing new scientific research on tuberculosis and other leading lung diseases affecting people living in poverty.
“The breadth and the quality of the new research findings to be presented at this year’s World Conference are a testament to The Union’s members and partners who are rigorously working to end suffering from tuberculosis and other deadly lung diseases,” said José Luis Castro, Executive Director of The Union.
The conference’s scientific programme will include new research findings on TB, the increasing interplay between TB and diabetes, tobacco control, TB-HIV, childhood TB and the results of new clinical trials testing the efficacy of new treatments and vaccines, among other announcements. For the first time in the conference’s history, a nurse, Ria Grant of South Africa, will deliver an address in the inaugural session.
Among the breaking research at the conference will be a new report from The Union and the World Diabetes Foundation that will address the increasing epidemiological links between TB and diabetes and issue a global call to action.
Pre-conference events:
On Wednesday, 22 October, the World Health Organization will release its 2014 Global Tuberculosis Report, detailing the latest surveillance data on the global TB burden and available financing. The report will feed into the conference events surrounding the future of TB control, research, public policy and advocacy.
The Union will host the first-ever Global TB Summit with members of parliament from around the world on Monday, 27 October in Barcelona. The purpose of the summit is for the parliamentarians to identify shared priorities for addressing TB across their respective countries and for pursuing the research and development of new medicines, diagnostics and vaccines needed to eliminate the disease.
The third President’s Centennial Dinner will raise funds for The Union’s public health research and education activities. The conference’s gala event will be held this year at the Sala de la Cúpula Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Parc de Montjüic on the evening of Tuesday, 28 October.
“Moving Out of the Box to End the TB Epidemic”, the all-day Global TB Symposium sponsored by WHO will also be held on Tuesday, 28 October.
Key conference speakers and theme:
Conference speakers include:
- HE Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, Government of South Africa; Chair, Stop TB Partnership
- Rt Hon Nick Herbert, Member of Parliament, Founding Member of All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis, United Kingdom
- José Luis Castro, Executive Director, The Union, France
- Mark Dybul, Executive Director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, USA
- Mario Raviglione, Director, Global Tuberculosis Programme, World Health Organization
- Stefan H E Kaufmann, Founding Director and Managing Director, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Germany
- Aamir Khan, Founder and Director, Interactive Research & Development, Pakistan
- Ria Grant, Senior Advisor, TB/HIV Care Association, South Africa
- Mukund Uplekar, Senior Medical Officer, World Health Organization, Switzerland
- Oleksandr Kulchenko, Treatment Programs Support Unit, All-Ukrainian Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS, Ukraine
- Mesake Navugona, professional rugby footballer and former TB patient, Fiji
The conference’s theme, Community-Driven Solutions for the Next Generation, reflects the need to find solutions to the lung health challenges we face by involving all stakeholders from health care professionals and policy-makers to the people and communities they serve. This approach recognises the essential role of affected persons and advocates, whose input must be integrated into the conception, design and implementation of interventions along with that of other experts, such as clinicians and researchers, government officials and donors
All conference events will take place at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB), unless otherwise noted.
Side events:
During the conference, Médecins Sans Frontières will release a new report analysing TB diagnostic practices across eight countries. Further details will be released in advance of the conference.
On Friday, 31 October, The Union and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will host the Tuberculosis Infection Control Consultation, which will highlight new and innovative strategies being implemented to reduce the spread of TB in countries with high burdens of disease.
For registration and complete details: