Tuberculosis is a pandemic. It is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease, it exists in all countries in the world and adds enormous psycho-social and economic burdens upon individuals and the society. The burden of tuberculosis is unequally distributed, with the low-income countries bearing the brunt of the disease.
It is well known how tuberculosis can be prevented and treated, but for many years there has been a lack of global political will and financing. Still today, more than a million people with tuberculosis die every year, and 1 in 3 people with tuberculosis does not access diagnosis and treatment. There is no effective vaccine or easy point- of -care diagnostic test.
As tuberculosisis entrenched in unequal access to resources and health services and aggravatedby social exclusion of people affected by tuberculosis, medical treatment alonewill not be enough. A world free of tuberculosis requires a great effort toreduce poverty, with improved nutrition and living conditions at populationlevel, and equal and fair access to research and new tools.
Together we can end tuberculosis! is the name of LHL International’s strategy for 2019-2025. The goal is to reduce the burden of tuberculosis, mainly through these four approaches:
These approaches are in line with leading global initiatives, such as the WHOs End TB strategy, the declarations from the United Nation high level meetings on tuberculosis (2018, 2023), and the sustainable development goal 3 (SDG) about health and wellbeing. All these initiatives recognize that upholding rights for all – leaving no one behind – and addressing poverty as a determinant of health are vital to end the tuberculosis epidemic.
