Tuberculosis (TB) remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, yet progress toward eliminating it has been painfully slow. This report sheds light on the urgent need for action to combat TB.

Despite being preventable and curable, TB has been neglected, with inadequate political commitments and insufficient funding. This report highlights the critical need for global investment in research and development to drive the innovation required to end TB once and for all. From developing better vaccines to ensuring equitable access to lifesaving diagnostics and treatments, the path forward demands sustained funding, stronger partnerships, and policies that prioritize public health over profit.

Read the full report to learn more and use this social media toolkit to help spread the word.

Non-infectious asylum seekers on TB treatment can now apply for temporary work permits.

IRCC has recently updated a long-standing policy, in response to advocacy by TB programs and practitioners. All asylum seekers are required to undergo an immigration medical examination (IME), including a screen for TB disease (as are all individuals applying for permanent residency, citizenship, or a visa for longer than 6 months). Previously, asylum seekers in Canada who were diagnosed with TB disease on their IME were denied a work permit - and the opportunity to support themselves financially - until they had completed the entire 6-12 months of TB treatment. Since most people with TB are non-infectious after the first few weeks on TB medication, this policy unfairly penalized individuals who were already in Canada, on TB treatment under the care of Canadian TB programs and healthcare providers, not infectious, and usually very keen to work, despite the policy providing no benefit for the health of other Canadians.

Under the updated policy, these individuals can now apply for a temporary work permit once IRCC’s medical division has confirmed they are no longer infectious.

“Protecting human rights, ethics and equity” is one of the 4 key principles of the WHO End TB Strategy, and a foundation of the UN political declaration on TB, which our federal government signed in 2018. Congratulations to IRCC for making this change, to the healthcare providers and TB programs who advocated for it, and most of all to the people with (non-infectious) TB whose right to seek work is recognized under the new policy.

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Despite the fact that TB kills more people annually than AIDS and malaria combined, it receives only 18% of the total funding provided by the Global Fund, compared to 50% for AIDS and 32% for malaria.

The Global Fund Board is set to decide on its funding distribution for 2027-2029 this November. We need your help to demand a fair share for TB. Let’s push for an equal split of funds across all three diseases.

Sign the petition here.