Progress and Multisectoral Action towards achieving global targets to end TB
24 September 2021 | Geneva
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Hundreds of people virtually joined the official UN General Assembly high level side-event: “Progress and Multisectoral Action towards achieving global targets to end TB” co-organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Russian Federation on 24 September 2021. Held on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the event brought together a distinguished line up of speakers including WHO and UN Leadership, the President of the UN General Assembly, Health Ministers and national ministerial delegations, partners and civil society – all who are invested in the same cause of wiping out this leading infectious killer.
The focus of the UNGA side event was on reviewing progress towards reaching global TB targets, advancing multisectoral action and accountability, and discussing preparations for the 2023 UN High Level Meeting on TB. The event marked exactly three years since the 2018 UN High Level Meeting on TB which resulted in a political declaration made by Heads of State to accelerate the TB response.
The UNGA side event was opened by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the Honourable Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Dr Mikhail Murashko. The President of the UN General Assembly Mr Abdulla Shahid and Deputy UN Secretary General Ms Amina Mohammed delivered special keynote addresses. Ms. Paran Sarimita Winarni, a member of the WHO Civil Society Taskforce on TB made a passionate call to activate high-level leadership to urgently increase investments, drive multi-sectoral action and ensure continued meaningful engagement of civil society, communities and people affected by TB. The event was moderated by Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme.
The first session comprised of a ministerial panel who showcased progress made towards achieving the 2022 TB targets committed to by Heads of State at the 2018 UN High Level Meeting on TB, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and key actions taken to build multisectoral engagement and accountability to end TB. The perspectives of countries looking forward to the 2023 UN High Level Meeting on TB were also shared. High level speakers included: Hon. Marcelo Queiroga, Minister of Health, Brazil; Hon. Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Pakistan; Hon. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health, Indonesia; Hon. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, India; Honorable Sereejav Enkhbold, Minister of Health, Mongolia, Hon. Nguyen Truong Son, Vice Minister of Health, Viet Nam; Stéphanie Seydoux, Ambassador for Global Health, France and Mr. Jile Chang, Vice Commisioner, National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control, China.
This was followed by an interactive panel discussion with key partners on their roles and contribution towards sustaining and strengthening multisectoral action and progress towards ending TB, including in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. They also discussed key priorities looking ahead to the 2023 High Level meeting. The speakers included, Dr. Jennifer Adams, Acting Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Global Health, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr Peter Sands, Executive Director, Global Fund; Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Stop TB Partnership; and Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director, UNITAID.
The UNGA side-event was closed by Dr Ren Minghui, WHO Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases, with words of appreciation for the speakers and the audience. He emphasized the importance of keeping the momentum strong to end TB especially in times of crisis, the need to work boldly across sectors – ensuring links to the broader global health agenda, and to join forces as preparations begin for the 2nd UN High Level Meeting on TB.
