Since its inception in 1920, The Union has had a focus on tuberculosis (TB) and innovating TB care.
We have now set out our 2022-2027 vision, objectives and strategy for ending TB. This can only be achieved collectively, with our members, partners and TB community – everyone has a role to play.
Together, we can bring an end to TB.
Our work in TB
The Union works towards the global elimination of TB. We support high-quality, accessible prevention and care for people with and at risk of TB, to expand the evidence base for TB care and prevention and implement new knowledge into policy and practice.
Project Axshya
In collaboration with local partners and over 15,000 community volunteers, The Union provided innovative tuberculosis (TB) interventions designed to serve traditionally hard-to-reach and at-risk populations in India.
Specific TB priority areas
Read more about how The Union is working to fight key areas of TB:
Child & Adolescent Tuberculosis
The Union works to develop, test, implement and scale up routine screening of child contacts of people with TB. We run observational studies and advocate to ensure children and adolescents are included in clinical trials that target diagnostics, vaccines and treatment of TB disease and infection.
TB-HIV, TB-Diabetes and other co-morbidities
The Union develops, tests, implements and scales up models of care for co-morbid conditions that increase the risk of developing TB, that are prevalent in high TB burden settings, or that adversely affect TB treatment outcomes.
The Zoonotic TB Sub-section was instrumental in the creation of the first-ever Roadmap for Zoonotic TB, a policy document that addressed the major health and economic impacts of the disease, created in collaboration with the World Health Organization.
Members work together to influence global policy and practice, ensuring their work has a greater global impact.
Understand the issues with our factsheets
Tuberculosis Union news
MESSAGE FROM HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS CROWN PRINCESS AKISHINO OF JAPAN, HONORARY MEMBER OF THE UNION
Message from Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino of Japan, Honorary Member of The Union:
World TB Day is the…
The rationale for cancer to be made a notifiable disease in India
In this Short Communication (to be published in the Q2 issue of PHA), the authors explain why the Ministry of Health in India should make cancer a notifiable disease.
No more excuses: Break the chain of transmission to end tuberculosis - World TB Day 2025
It is total injustice and failure by us all that millions of people around the world are still at high risk of tuberculosis (TB…
No more excuses: Break the chain of transmission to end tuberculosis – World TB Day 2025
The Union calls for the prioritisation of finding and treating everyone with tuberculosis (TB) in high-burden settings.
24 March…
New strategy to help find more people with TB in Central African Republic
The Union has launched a project to evaluate the effectiveness of a new strategy to find more people with undiagnosed tuberculosis (TB)…
TB disability and multimorbidity at the onset of treatment in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Ahead of World TB Day, we present an article that assesses the burden of multimorbidity and the effectiveness of referral pathways at the start of TB treatment across Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Evaluating disability, comorbidities and risk factors after TB treatment: an 18–24 month follow-up in China
Ahead of World TB Day, we present an article that assesses disability, comorbidities and risk factors after TB treatment in China.
International Women's Day 2025: Prof Katharina Kranzer
Prof Katharina Kranzer was recently appointed as Chair of the Conference Scientific Committee, which develops the scientific programme…
International Women's Day 2025: Nidhi Bansal
Last year, Nidhi Bansal was appointed as Country Director for The Union India Office. Nidhi has worked extensively in India on pressing…
International Women's Day 2025: Dr Rebecca Nantanda
In March 2023, Dr Rebecca Nantanda and two other Union members founded the Childhood Pneumonia Working Group, with the aim to drive…
Union Medal 2024 winner: Dr Razia Kaniz Fatima
At The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2024, Dr Razia Kaniz Fatima received The Union’s highest honour – the Union Medal –…
International Women's Day 2025: Ambition into action
International Women’s Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all the inspirational women across The Union’s membership, workforce…
Guinea Bissau enhances TB diagnosis in children with training
The NTP plans to extend the training in-country from February 2025.
The Union is proud to see our training materials being…
Celebrating a year of learning: thank you to our course participants!
Reflecting on the past year, we extend our sincere thanks to the dedicated learners who joined us in our mission to combat…
Scholarship for drug-resistant TB course announced in memory of leading public health physician
A key group within the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) announced the establishment of a…
In conversation with Cassandra
We grabbed five minutes with Dr Cassandra Kelly-Cirino to learn more about her motivation for becoming our new Executive Director, vision for the future and the unique role of The Union.
A reflection on 2024
From changing WHO guidelines and identifying key improvements to drug-resistant TB management, to being awarded grants from the Global Fund in Myanmar and the Gates Foundation for an active case finding project in India to delivering another fantastic Union Conference.
After such an impressive year for The Union, Dr Cassandra Kelly-Cirino and Prof Guy Marks look back at everything we have accomplished in 2024.
A year in review – evaluating the launch of IJTLD OPEN
An Editorial in a forthcoming issue of IJTLD OPEN describes how open access has driven a dramatic increase in visibility.
TB Publications
Until recently, the focus has been on finding and treating people with TB. But now bold targets for TB prevention have been outlined in the recent UN High-Level Meeting on TB. The Union develops, tests, implements and scales up models of care to increase the uptake and completion of TB preventive treatments in key high risk groups including children under 5 and people living with HIV.
'Prevent Tuberculosis: Management of TB Infection' is a free course which improves knowledge of all aspects of the management of TB infection including the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis with the specific aim of increasing country-level implementation of TB prevention among i) household contact of people affected by TB, especially those under five years of age, ii) persons with risk factors to develop TB, and iii) people living with HIV in care.