Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem. It is a disease that, despite being curable, killed 1.4 million and infected another 8.7 million in 2011. It ranks as the second most important cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide, after HIV. TB is a leading killer of people who are HIV infected, accounting for one in every four AIDS deaths. While the overall rate of TB cases has dropped in recent years, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) continues to thrive, particularly in impoverished areas of Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Diagnosis and appropriate treatment of MDR-TB remain a major challenge.
Growing consensus indicates that progress in TB control in low- and middle-income countries will require not only investment to strengthen TB control programmes, diagnostics and treatment, but also action on the social determinants of TB. It necessitates a comprehensive public health response, focusing on strengthening community systems and integrated community-based activities
On this year TB Day, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its partners call for accelerated scaling-up of tuberculosis interventions, faster screening of at-risk populations, and greater attention on prevention activities, tackling the broader social and economic determinants of TB infection.
Our MDR-TB activities in Kazakhstan, India and South Africa emphasize the need for strengthening the link between communities and formal health systems by:
- adapting health services to a patient-centred approach
- improving the quality of interpersonal communication between care providers and patients
- increasing access to diagnostic services, and
- empowering patients, communities and civil society organizations through supportive communication methodologies and active involvement.
Learn more about what we advocate for: advocacy report.
Our publications
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Learning from Red Cross
Red Crescent community based
MDR-TB programmes
This publication focuses on the Red Cross Red Crescent experience in community-based multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) programmes implemented since 2008 in Kazakhstan, India and South Africa.
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Champions against TB
Despite the best efforts of many individuals and organizations to raise awareness on tuberculosis, unfortunately it remains an invisible disease.This handbook provides partners with some guidance on how to engage celebrities and benefit from their support.
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