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
Union World Conference announces VIP speakers and publishes scientific programme
Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, Katherine Maher, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Shannon Hader and Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID will all speak at the 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health, held virtually from 20-24 October.
Impact of COVID-19 on TB diagnosis in Northeastern Brazil
In the context of the global pandemic, there is an urgent need for research that elucidates the relationship between COVID-19 and TB, the adoption of strategies that protect TB patients from infection by SARS-CoV-2, and the adoption and/or strengthening of strategies to ensure the diagnosis of TB during the pandemic period.
Prestigious scholarship for TB activist Nandita Venkatesan
The TB survivor, journalist and activist from Mumbai, India, has been awarded the scholarship to Oxford University.
Resource reprioritisation amid competing health risks for TB and COVID-19
Letter to the editors of the IJTLD that highlights health care responses to COVID-19 that might help TB care in the longer term.
“UCAP has been buzzing with energy. This year’s conference is online, giving us huge opportunities to reach more people”
Rhea Lobo is a tuberculosis (TB) survivor, member of The Union's Community Advisory Panel (UCAP), and an international award-…
Professor Sir Alimuddin Zumla wins the prestigious 2020 Mahathir Science Award
The Union is delighted to share the news that Professor Sir Alimuddin Zumla, Union Medal winner, supporter and friend of The Union, has been awarded the prestigious 2020 Mahathir Science Award.
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.