Join us in calling on Canada to implement a National TB Elimination Strategy at our upcoming webinar

Leveraging the knowledge from the Canadian TB Standards, the Stop TB Canada network pulled key findings to develop specific calls-to-action needed for national TB elimination. Join Stop TB Canada and the Canadian Thoracic Society on December 8th at 1:00pm ET for a webinar on our key recommendations to help inform the development of a National TB Elimination Strategy, including:

1. Improve TB screening strategies among high-priority groups.

2. Address the social determinants of health and barriers to TB care.

3. Improve access to essential medicines for TB treatment.

4. Implement a timely tuberculosis surveillance infrastructure.

5. Adopt accountability, monitoring, and evaluation measures for programming.

Register for the event here.

Letter to UN General Assembly ahead of UNHLM on TB

The UK Academics and Professionals to End TB Network is coordinating an international sign-on letter to the President of the UN General Assembly and the two Co-Facilitators of the forthcoming UN High-Level Meeting on tuberculosis (TB).

The letter calls for the inclusion of researchers and healthcare workers during the meeting, alongside affected communities, civil society, and other key stakeholders. It also reiterates the call, issued by the Stop TB Partnership, for the High-Level Meeting to take place in 'Leaders Week' when most Heads of State attend the General Assembly.

The full letter can be accessed here. Add your signature here by December 7, 2022.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week

Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) strains are threatening progress toward global TB elimination. The latest WHO Global TB Report states that:

• The burden of DR-TB is estimated to have increased between 2020 and 2021, with 450 000 new cases of rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) in 2021.

• The number of people provided with treatment for RR-TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) declined between 2019 and 2020. The reported number of people started on treatment for RR-TB and MDR-TB in 2021 only covered about one in three of those in need.

• The treatment success rate for drug-resistant TB, at 60% globally, remains low.

To learn about the impact that COVID-19 is having on AMR globally, refer to this article.

Publication Spotlight

Key Dates

December 1, 2022: World AIDS Day

December 8, 2022: The Canadian TB Standards: Knowledge to Action through Advocacy Webinar

December 10, 2022: Human Rights Day

December 10, 2022: Submission deadline for travel grants for TB survivors and discounted rates for civil society members for the Annual Conference of the Union North-American Region

Follow us at TBPeople Canada!

Are you or have you been affected by TB? Please consider joining TBpeople Canada to connect with others who have been impacted by TB, and share stories, resources and support with your peers. To learn more about this network, visit our website at https://www.stoptbcanada.com/tbpeoplecanada.

Do you work closely with TB clinics and/or those affected by TB? Click to download and print the flyer on our website and share it in your clinic.

Remain connected by joining our directory

Join our directory of TB researchers, practitioners, advocates and survivors based in Canada to connect with colleagues and engage in our advocacy!

Join the directory by completing this short form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdq1aT8U0Lfj66TqvDV_7yP0vC38i3AABfwWBcd8T-9_p5yBA/viewform

Thank you!

This newsletter is supported by resources donated by Results Canada, the McGill International TB Center, TB in Focus and ZMQ Development.