The first WHO Global Ministerial Conference on ending Tuberculosis (TB) in the sustainable development era came to a close on 17 November 2017 in Moscow, Russia. Seventy five ministers signed onto the Moscow Declaration to End TB. The declaration contains commitments by countries to accelerate action to end TB by 2030 and meet the set global targets. The declaration seeks to inform the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on TB in 2018. Though this is a huge milestone, Dr. Tedros, the WHO Director General, noted that more action is needed beyond the political commitments if we are to end TB by 2030 as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals.
Now that TB is the leading infectious disease killer in the world, urgent actions must be embraced. In order to shift the paradigm toward ending TB, the global community must adopt a human rights-based, patient-centered approach to prevention, testing, treatment and care. As part of this approach, governments, donors and international organizations must invest more in better diagnostic, treatment and prevention methods that put people affected by TB at the center of their efforts.
Photo: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization and Veronika Skvortsova, Minister of Health, Russian Federation at the Informal Consultation with Civil Society in advance of the WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB. (Photo Courtesy: WHO)
Allan Maleche, Executive Director of KELIN, spoke on a panel in Moscow along with the Ministers of health from Tanzania, Central African Republic and Kyrgyzstan. The panel focused on fostering respect for equity, ethics and human rights. Mr. Maleche shared the KELIN video on TB Is Not a Crime and urged stakeholders to use a rights based, gender sensitive, community driven approach if they are serious about finding the missing 4.1 million people with TB who are not diagnosed. To this end he noted that the Nairobi Strategy on TB and Human Rights provides a road map that all stakeholders should consult to develop and to roll out rights based activities to fight TB.
Going forward KELIN will work closely with the civil society six person adhoc team, created at the request of Dr. Tedros after a consultation with civil society on the margins of the high level meeting. The six person team seeks to help in providing a bridge and creating new channels of engagement with the office of the WHO Director General. KELIN intends to use this avenue to ensure that a human rights based approach is infused in WHO global, regional & national programming and responses to dealing with TB and other health related issues.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms: @KELINKenya using hashtag #EndTB or #StepUpforTB
For more information contact:
Allan Maleche,
Executive Director, KELIN
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)
4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road
Tel +254202515790; Cell +254708389870;
Email: amaleche@kelinkenya.org
