The Union Vision and Strategy for TB: 2022-2027

Founded in 1920, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) has over a 100-year history of bringing innovation, solutions and support to address health challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Since its inception, The Union has had a focus on tuberculosis (TB) and bringing key innovations to TB care.

The Union has set out our 2022-2027 vision, objectives and strategy to end TB. This goal can only be achieved collectively, with all of our members, partners and TB community – everyone has a role to play.

Together, we can bring an end to TB.

Vision 

A world free of TB 

Objectives 

To achieve this vision, The Union will aim to: 

1. End the spread of TB - Finding and treating all people with TB. Reaching people in the community, and ensuring all people with TB are provided with psychological, social and financial support.
2. Prevent the development of TB - Diagnosing people infected with TB more effectively, while supporting them to manage risks for developing active TB disease. Also providing people with increased risk of developing active TB disease with preventive therapy.
3. Effective care and management of people with TB - Access to the most effective care and high-quality medicines for all people with TB, including support to complete treatment and evaluation for TB that does not respond to standard medicine.
4. Engage public and private sectors to address the special needs of children with TB and adults with TB-related disabilities, other illnesses and risks - Improving healthcare workers' understanding of how to identify and manage TB with other health issues, so that other illnesses and risks can be managed quickly.
5. Prevent the airborne spread of TB in healthcare and other indoor settings - Advocating for the implementation of effective precautions in healthcare settings. Further research is required to identify ways to prevent airborne spread in other indoor settings.
6. Enhancing community engagement to prevent TB-affected families from facing catastrophic financial and social costs due to an episode of TB - Improving community engagement, involvement and ownership of TB as a community health issue. Accessible, affordable, acceptable and high-quality healthcare services for all people with TB, while providing psychological, social and financial support.

 The Union strategy to achieve this vision 

To meet these objectives, The Union will focus on implementing and supporting the growth of new, evidence-based developments in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Where there are gaps in the evidence, The Union will look to fill them and ensure that a complete approach to TB care is taken. The strategic approaches will include: 

• Focusing on low- and middle-income countries with high numbers of people with TB
• Expanding community engagement and supporting community leadership efforts to end TB
• Building capacity through training and education and disseminating knowledge through The Union World Conference on Lung Health, publications and communication channels
• Undertaking high-quality clinical, public health and operational research
• Strengthen The Union to achieve a robust integrated membership and organisation that can identify, adapt and use resources in the fight against TB
• Using the unique qualities of colleagues and partners in the fight to end TB by making it clear that everyone has a role to play in the battle against one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world.