World TB Day, falling on 24 March each year, is designed to build public awareness that tuberculosis today remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of several million people each year, mostly in the third world. 24 March commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis.
I am stopping TB is more than a slogan. It is the continuation of a two-year campaign, launched in 2008, that belongs to people everywhere who are doing their part to Stop TB.
World TB Day, 24 March 2009, is about celebrating the lives and stories of people affected by TB: women, men and children who have taken TB treatment; nurses; doctors; researchers; community workers--anyone who has contributed towards the global fight against TB.
Global tuberculosis control - epidemiology, strategy, financing
This report is WHO's thirteenth annual report on global tuberculosis control in a series that started in 1997.
The report presents WHO's latest assessment of the epidemiological burden of TB (numbers of cases and deaths), as well as progress towards the 2015 targets for global TB control that have been established within the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also includes a thorough analysis of implementation and financing of the WHO's Stop TB Strategy and the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan to Stop TB, since in combination these have set out how TB control needs to be implemented and funded to achieve the 2015 targets. The report gives particular attention to the period 2006–2009, but selected epidemiological, implementation and financial data are presented for previous years as well. This includes epidemiological data back to 1990 and financial data back to 2002.
Bringing together data reported by 196 out of 212 countries and territories in 2007, as well as data collected from these countries and territories in previous years, Global tuberculosis control 2009 is the definitive source of information about the national and international response to the worldwide TB epidemic.
Welcome to the Global Drug Facility
The Global Drug Facility (GDF) is a mechanism to expand access to, and availability of, high-quality anti-TB drugs and diagnostics to facilitate global DOTS expansion or maintenance to support the Stop TB Strategy.
GDF Contracts New Procurement Agent PFSCM for First-Line Anti-TB Drugs and Diagnostics
11 August 2009
In order to ensure that it continues to deliver the most efficient and cost-effective procurement services, the Stop TB Global Drug Facility (GDF) conducts a competitive selection process for the identification of its procurement agents every 2 to 3 years.
To this end, in the first semester this year, GDF conducted a competitive selection process which resulted in the selection of the Partnership For Supply Chain Management (PFSCM) as GDF's procurement agent for first-line anti-TB drugs and related health products from 01 July 2009.
PFSCM is a non-profit organization that provides procurement and supply chain solutions that ensure best value for its clients. Created by two of the leading international health consultancies in the U.S. - JSI Research & Training Institute and Management Sciences for Health (MSH) - PFSCM ensures reliable availability of essential products to health care service delivery programs in the developing world and strengthens national supply chains to create sustainable mechanisms for delivering products to the patients who need them.
GDF would also like to use this opportunity to extend its sincere thanks to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), GDF's contracted procurement agent in the period from August 2006 to June 2009, for its committed engagement in the fight against TB in partnership with GDF.
GDF and the procurement agents have taken measures to ensure the transition period shall be as smooth as possible for client Countries. The two agents shall be working in parallel for an interim period until all orders that were placed with GTZ before 30 June 2009 have been fully executed. GDF client Countries will be informed about the responsible agent coordinating the delivery of their order.
GDF takes stock of the progress towards global access to anti-TB medicines
In ‘Marking up the Medicine’, an article published on www.publicservice.co.uk on June 23, 2009, GDF Chief of Operations Robert Matiru takes a look at GDF’s contribution towards universal access to high-quality anti TB medicines and examines how the public health community can tackle the manifold quality, price and access challenges that lie ahead in the fight against drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB.
Nominations for GDF Technical Review Committee - Submission deadline
May 6, 2009
The Global Drug Facility (GDF) is currently seeking nominations of experts in tuberculosis (TB) control and drug management to join its Technical Review Committee (TRC). The GDF TRC is responsible for reviewing applications to GDF for grants of free anti-TB drugs, and advising the Stop TB Partnership on which grant applications to accept and the level and nature of the grant to provide.
If you or someone you know would be a suitable candidate for the TRC, please submit your nomination to GDF. Candidates for the TRC should have significant expertise and experience in one or more of the following fields: Clinical TB, TB Diagnostics, Drug management, Human Resource Management, International Development, International Financing for anti-TB Drugs, MDR/XDR TB, Paediatric TB, Procurement and Logistics, TB Epidemiology, TB Monitoring and Evaluation and TB/HIV.
Individual nominations should be accompanied by a CV and a cover letter explaining the individual’s interest in and suitability for membership on the TRC. In the case where an institution is nominating a candidate, the nomination should be accompanied by a letter of institutional support for the individual.
Call for the Expressions of Interest for Procurement Agent Services
10 February, 2009
The Global TB Drug Facility (GDF), procurement arm of the Stop TB Partnership Secretariat, housed by the World Health Organization, is seeking a qualified Procurement Agent (PA) to manage the purchase of first-line* anti-Tuberculosis (TB) drugs and related supplies** from an established list of qualified manufacturers for delivery to.
Results of the Tender for Desk Auditing Agencies for the Global Drug Facility (RFP Number 4951)
3 September, 2008
The GDF wishes to announce the result of its competitive Request for Proposals RFP Number 4951 designed to select an Agency or Agencies to undertake independent Desk Audit assessments of mission reports from annual visits to GDF grant recipients and/or direct procurement clients.
* In total 5 Responsive Proposals were received and adjudicated: 17 - 18 August
* Proposers were invited to witness the opening of Proposals and recording of financial offers and one Proposer attended.
* The technical scores for the Proposals ranged from: 100 to 380 points (out of maximum of 480 points)
* The financial offers ranged from: US$1693.60 to US$8229
* Two agencies were selected for contract awards on the basis of their technical scores and financial offers: Swiss Center for International Health, Swiss Tropical Institute (SCIH) (Primary awardee: 65% of annual number of audits) and German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA) (Secondary Awardee: 35% of annual number of audits).
GDF would like to congratulate SCIH and GLRA for their success and thank all Proposers for the efforts they made to prepare their Proposals and participate in this competition.
New Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) with first-line TB drug suppliers
19 February, 2008
From September through December 2007 the Global Drug Facility (GDF) conducted a competitive selection process among pre-qualified first-line drug manufacturers through its Procurement Agent, GTZ.
This competitive process is now complete, and GDF and GTZ are pleased to announce that awards have been made to five suppliers. Four of them - Svizera, Cadila, Strides and Lupin - were already serving as GDF suppliers. One new supplier, Macleods, also was selected. This expansion in the supplier pool indicates strong interest and competition among manufacturers, and augurs well for favourable pricing and availability of high quality anti-TB drugs.
GDF is committed to providing affordable high-quality anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs to countries with a high TB burden and stimulating capacity and competition in the production sector.
What is Retooling
With the anticipated launch of the first of the new tools within the next two years, the time is right to start preparing for the introduction of new tools, and to minimize the delay between their licensure, availability and adoption as well as widespread use in communities that need them most.
This process is termed "Retooling" and will help preparing for Adoption, Introduction and Implementation of new diagnostics, drugs and Vaccines in TB control.
The adoption has been defined as a multi-sector process resulting in an explicit global and/or country policy decision to access and use new and improved health technologies, including strategies for tuberculosis control.
Global and/or country policy decision to adopt a new and improved health technology follows an analysis of benefits, risks, and costs of the health technology and the health system’s capacity to finance, manage and ensure its sustainable access and appropriate use. Communication of recommendations and policy decision is undertaken before introduction and implementation.
The introduction is the set of coordinated activities that is carried out to prepare for effective and sustainable access to the new and improved health technology.
Global and/or country introduction includes ensuring appropriate new technology regulation and registration, preparing phase-in/phase-out plans for procurement and logistics management, revising guidelines, tools, & training materials, financial resource mobilization, initiating staff training and advocacy, communication, social mobilization activities.
Implementation is the set of activities that put into effect the policy and monitor and evaluate the progress of these activities and the impact on tuberculosis control.
Implementation activities include the execution of a phase-in/phase out plan, on-going technical programme and supply management procedures, and monitoring and evaluation of programme implementation and new health technology performance.
What is the Stop Research Movement?
The Research Movement represents an opportunity for the Stop TB Partnership and the World Health Organization (WHO) to engage the full range of TB researchers in a collaborative and concerted strategic effort to increase the scope, scale and speed of TB research. The full range of TB researchers includes not only those already engaged through membership of the Partnership's Working Groups on new tools development and Working Groups on implementation of currently available interventions, but also those working across the wide spectrum of TB research, and especially those involved in basic research.
The development of the Research Movement was mandated in 2006 by the Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board and WHO's TB advisory body (Strategic and Technical Advisory Group) in 2007. The increasing recognition of the importance of TB research is reflected by the incorporation of the need to enable and promote research as a key element of WHO's new Stop TB Strategy (launched in 2006).
Goal
The goal is to stimulate, support and expand research to ensure the elimination of TB as a global public health problem by 2050.
Objectives
i) To provide leadership and advocacy to mobilise increased resources to support a coherent and comprehensive global TB research agenda.
ii)To provide a forum for funders and implementers of TB research to coordinate plans and actions with the result of ensuring that research needs are addressed, opportunities prioritized, and gaps filled.
Executive summary
The burden of suffering and economic loss caused by tuberculosis (TB) is an affront to our conscience. TB is a curable and preventable disease. Urgent action is necessary to scale up our efforts to Stop TB.
As a global movement to accelerate social and political action to stop the spread of TB, the Stop TB Partnership provides the platform for international organizations, countries, donors (public and private sector), governmental and nongovernmental organizations, patient organizations and individuals to contribute to a collective and concerted campaign to Stop TB. Making the most of Partners’ efforts, in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, requires a plan. The Stop TB Partnership has developed a Global Plan to Stop TB that covers the period 2006–2015, building on the Partnership’s first plan for 2001–2005.
Within the Partnership’s strategic approaches for the next decade, the Plan sets out the activities that will make an impact on the global burden of TB. This involves reducing TB incidence – in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – and reaching the Partnership’s targets for 2015 of halving TB prevalence and deaths compared with 1990 levels. TB is a longhaul disease: the Plan represents a step towards the elimination of TB as a global public health problem by 2050, and the realization of the Partnership’s vision of a TB-free world. It sets out the resources needed for actions, underpinned by sound epidemiological analysis with robust budget justifications. It supports the need for long-term planning for action at regional and country level.
The Plan provides a consensus view of what the Stop TB Partnership can achieve by 2015, provided the resources are mobilized to implement the Stop TB strategy according to the steps set out in the Plan. The Stop TB strategy encapsulates the technical approaches for TB programmes to achieve and sustain the high levels of TB case detection and cure (over 70% and 85% respectively) required to decrease the TB burden. The Plan will serve to stimulate political commitment, financial support, effective intervention, patients’ involvement, community participation, and – in indicating the potential of the new tools under development to control TB (improved drugs, diagnostics and vaccines) – research and development.
The development of the Plan has relied on contributions from the Stop TB Partnership’s seven working groups – on DOTS expansion; DOTS-Plus for multidrug-resistant TB; TB/HIV; new TB diagnostics; new TB drugs; new TB vaccines; and advocacy, communications and social mobilization – coordinated by the Partnership Secretariat. The Working Groups have contributed to the two key dimensions of the Plan: (1) regional scenarios (projections of the expected impact and costs of activities oriented towards achieving the Partnership’s targets for 2015 in each region), and (2) the strategic plans of the working groups and the Secretariat.
What we will achieve if we implement the Plan:
• Implementation of the Stop TB Strategy will expand equitable access for all to quality TB diagnosis and treatment.
• Over the ten years of this Plan, about 50 million people will be treated for TB under the Stop TB Strategy, including about 800 000 patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDRTB), and about 3 million patients who have both TB and human immunodeficiency infection (TB/HIV) will be enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (in line with UNAIDS plans for universal access).
• Some 14 million lives will be saved from 2006 to 2015.
• The first new TB drug for 40 years will be introduced in 2010, with a new short TB regimen (1–2 months) shortly after 2015.
• By 2010, diagnostic tests at the point of care will allow rapid, sensitive and inexpensive detection of active TB. By 2012, a diagnostic toolbox will accurately identify people with latent TB infection and those at high risk of progression to disease.
• By 2015 a new, safe, effective and affordable vaccine will be available with potential for a significant impact on TB control in later years.
In terms of reaching targets, full funding (US$56 billion) and implementation of the Plan would result in:
• global achievement of the MDG «to have halted by 2015, and begun to reverse, the incidence» of TB;
• global achievement of the Partnership’s 2015 targets to halve prevalence and death rates from the 1990 baseline (although achievement of the 2015 targets will most likely be later than 2015 in Eastern Europe and even later in Africa, because of the particular challenges posed by MDR-TB and HIV respectively);
• enormous progress in all regions over the period of the Plan from 2006, to 2015, with prevalence and death rates halved, or almost halved.
The total cost of the Plan – US$56 billion – represents a threefold increase in annual investment in TB control compared with the first Global Plan. This total includes US$9 billion for research and development and US$47 billion for implementation of current interventions (over US$28 billion for DOTS programmes, an additional US$6 billion for DOTS-Plus, US$7 billion for TB/HIV activities, US$3 billion for ACSM activities, and US$3 billion for technical cooperation). Of the US$ 47 billion for implementation of current interventions, US$44 billion (94%) are country-level costs, representing about 80% of the Plan’s total cost.
The estimated funding gap is US$31 billion, since an estimated US$25 billion is likely to be available based on projections of current funding trends. Full funding of the Plan will enable implementation of the Stop TB Strategy and global achievement of the Partnership’s targets, as a step towards our vision of a TB-free world.
In a resolution adopted by the Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly in 2005, on «Sustainable Financing for TB Prevention and Control», all countries made a commitment to ensure the availability of sufficient domestic and external resources to achieve the MDG relevant to TB. National governments and donors must fulfil this commitment by mobilizing the funds to increase current levels of funding and fill the US$31 billion gap.
With the will, the funds and the action, together we can Stop TB!
Sources:
http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/
http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2009/
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global_report/en/index.html
http://www.stoptb.org/gdf/
http://www.stoptb.org/retooling/
http://www.stoptb.org/researchmovement/
http://www.stoptb.org/globalplan/assets/documents/GP_ES_Eng.pdf