In Myanmar, PICTS volunteers hit the streets to distribute information about TB. Around the world, The Union marked World TB Day with a diverse array of events.
It has been 33 years since The Union proposed that World TB Day should be commemorated each year on 24 March – the anniversary of Prof Robert Koch’s 1882 discovery of M. tuberculosis. The diversity of events that now take place each year is illustrated by these highlights from our own Union activities around the world.
In Europe
UK: José Luis Castro, Interim Executive Director of The Union, spoke at a World TB Day symposium, “Reach the 3 Million”, organised by The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's TB Centre and University College London. In his presentation, “Clinical and Operational Research Update”, he shared updates on The Union’s latest research, including the STREAM clinical trial of a shortened MDR-TB regimen, and emphasised the importance of supporting operational research as a critical piece of the larger TB research agenda. “It helps us to draw actionable information out of public health data”, he said, offering the potential for a significant impact on how public health is practiced. Mr Castro also attended the launch of the UK National Strategy for TB and met with legislators and stakeholders.
Slides and videos from this programme are online.
In North America
USA/New York: Staffers from The Union North America Office and their family members took part in the “One World -- Zero TB” march and rally in New York City. The well-attended march included a marching band and was followed by a rally, where speakers included long-time Union member Prof Lee Reichman.
USA/Washington, DC: Dr Paula Fujiwara, Scientific Director, and Dr Adam Karpati, Senior Vice President for Public Health Impact, participated in World TB Day events in Washington, DC. Dr Karpati, who is based in The Union North America Office, had only joined The Union the week before, so this was a perfect opportunity for him to meet key stakeholders from government and civil society. They attended US congressional briefings, where MDR-TB survivors shared their stories and government officials provided updates on the US response to TB. They also went to an awards event sponsored by USAID, RESULTS, and other organisations, where Senator Sherrod Brown and Representatives Kay Granger and Elliot Engel were recognised for their contributions to global TB control.
In Latin America
Peru: The Ministry of Health (MINSA), and the National Health Strategy for Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Peru organised two days of events focused on TB. The Union was one of a number of participating organisations, along with other national and international agencies. In addition, Edith Alarcón of The Union Peru Office spoke on the Impact of universal access to MODS tests on TB treatment outcomes in Peru and Dr I.D. Rusen discussed The Union’s research on a shorter MDR-TB regimen. These events were available for online viewing.
In Africa
Uganda: The Union Uganda Office participated in the national commemoration activities held this year in Iganga on 25 March. The theme of the event was “Reach the 60,000 TB patients. Test, Treat and Cure All.” Uganda estimates that 60,000 people develop TB in that country each year.
Zimbabwe: The Union Office in Zimbabwe participated in a pre-World TB Day conference with key stakeholders from across the country, including the media. The event updated stakeholders on the status of the national response to galvanise shared efforts towards meeting both national and global targets. A Union staffer seconded to support Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB shared on MDR-TB response. The Union staff also participated in the World TB Day events in Chitungwiza, and The Union’s positive role in Zimbabwe was acknowledged by the Minister of Health and Deputy Director TB and HIV Department.
In South-East Asia
India: The Union South-East Asia office (USEA) launched reports on 20 years of operational research and its impact on TB control in India, the midline Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) Survey and opened a new toll-free helpline serving three states during the week of World TB Day. Shree Anshu Prakash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, was chief guest at the launch event on 27 March 2014, which was attended by delegates from national TB control programme and other experts and advocates. The programme highlighted the work and achievements of The Union in India through its research, as well as the ACSM activities of Project Axshya.
In Asia Pacific
Myanmar: In Mandalay, The Union Office in Myanmar presented the achievements of the PICTS TB case-finding project at a City Hall programme attended by the Ministry of Health, Chief Prime Minister of the Mandalay Region and others. The Union also had booths in Nay Pyi Daw for both PICTS and the PATB volunteer network. Banners were hung across the street and volunteers distributed a wide variety of TB informational materials from pamphlets to plastic fans. Advocacy activities also took place in Yangon City and Mandalay City; and TB awareness-raising trucks toured two Mandalay townships distributing both information and entertainment provided by the PATB volunteers. Some 30,000 TB materials were distributed by hand; and another 40,000 pamphlets and 40,000 calls for volunteers were distributed as inserts in the local newspapers.
Global
- A press release announced the results of a study published on World TB Day in the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, which demonstrates that regular tobacco smoking doubles the risk that people who have been successfully treated for TB will develop TB again—a condition known as "recurrent" TB. News coverage of the study appeared in the Wall Street Journal, as well as in news outlets in Brazil, France, India and the UK.
- Reuters published an opinion editorial titled “Combatting TB 2.0” by Jose Luis Castro, which argued that today’s TB epidemic is different than in the past and requires innovative approaches to address. The op-ed was further promoted by other organisations, including the Center for Global Development, Kaiser Family Foundation and the Genetic Literacy Project.
- Tuberculosis has a hidden impact on child survival, both directly and indirectly, according to a Viewpoint article published in the Lancet on World TB Day. Written by The Union’s Steve Graham, Anne Detjen and others, the article illustrates how the full impact of child TB is vastly underestimated.
- The Union and Otsuka SA announced the Young Innovator in TB Research Award. With support from Otsuka, The Union will administer the award. The recipient will receive full support to attend the 2014 World Conference on Lung Health, be provided an opportunity to present his or her research at the conference, and will receive support to further his or her training through The Union’s course offerings. The award campaign was kicked off by a half-page ad in the Financial Times.
- As part of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), The Union distributed a press statement supporting the 2014 theme of “Reach the 3 million”.
Contributing reporters: Anita Buragohain, Lwin Lwin Thant, Guadalupe Andonaire, Hannah Alsdurf, Katia Yezli, Ronald Ncube, Paul Jensen and Alice Boatwright