World TB Day 2025: Advocacy and Communication Toolkit

WorldTuberculosisDay YES!WE CAN#ENDTBCommit, Invest, Deliver! 24 March 2025 ABOUTTHECAMPAIGN Campaign theme World TB Day The theme of World TB Day 2024 - Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver', isa bold call for hope, urgency, and accountability. World TB Day observed annually on March 24, amplifies theurgency of ending tuberculosis-the world's deadliestinfectious disease. TB continues to devastate millionsglobally, inflicting severe health, social, and economicconsequences. : Commit - World leaders at the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting pledged to accelerateefforts to end TB. Now, we need real action: rapid implementation of WHOguidance and policies, strengthened national strategies, and full funding. Each day, over 3400 people lose their lives to TB and closeto30,o0opeoplefall ill with this preventable and curabledisease. TB is the leading cause of death of people with HIVand a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance. WorldTB Day is an opportunity to focus on the people affected bythis disease and to call for accelerated action to end TBsuffering and deaths. . Invest - TB cannot be defeated without proper financing. We need a bold,diversified approach to fund innovation, to close gaps in access to TB prevention,treatment and care, as well as to advance research and innovation. . Deliver - Turning commitments into action meansscaling up proven WHO-recommended interventions:early detection, diagnosis, preventive treatment, andhigh-quality TB care, particularly for drug-resistant TB.Success depends on community leadership, civil societyaction, and cross-sector collaboration. KEY MESSAGES Commitments secured, action required:Accelerating pace to end TB Investing for Impact:Building a resilient and sustainable TB response Heads of State at the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB made boldambitious commitments to accelerate the global fight againsttuberculosis, setting concrete, measurable targets for 2o27. While thesepledges represent a significant milestone, sustained and intensifiedaction is critical. Scaling up interventions requires strong policies,comprehensive national strategies, and substantial financial investmentto drive impact at global, regional, and national levels. Sustained investment in resources, support, care, and information isessential to achieving universal access to TB care and advancingresearch. This is particularly crucial in closing care gaps and ensuringequitable access to prevention and treatment, aligning with WHO'scommitment to Universal Health Coverage. Increased funding is urgentlyneeded to accelerate the rollout of WHO-recommended TB preventivetreatments, shorter TB treatment regimens, rapid molecular diagnostics,and other critical innovations, including digital tools. These investmentswill drive significant improvements in health outcomes and save millionsof lives. Equally vital is sustained investment in research and innovationto fast-track progress toward ending TB. The political declaration reinforced WHO'scentral role in spearheading progressexplicitly mandating the organization tosupport Member States in achieving thesetargets. Over the next three years, WHO'sleadership will be indispensable insteering countries forward, deliveringcrucial normative guidance, and providingtargeted technical support to translatecommitments into decisive, measurableaction. Funding WHO remains vital to achieving global TB targets. Anyfight against the world's deadliest infectious disease, threatening hard-won gains and delaying life-saving breakthroughs. KEY MESSAGES Delivering on commitments:Fast-tracking action for maximum impact Turning commitments into real, measurable impact for people affected by TBscaling up WHO-recommended interventions, including early detection, diagnosis.preventive treatment, and high-quality TB care-especially for drug-resistant TB.Achieving this at scale requires a whole-of-society approach that not only strengthenshealthcare systems but also creates safe, supportive environments where preventionand treatment can be delivered effectively. A unified, multisectoral response is essential to dismantling the key drivers of the TBepidemic-poverty, inequity, undernutrition, comorbidities, stigma, anddiscrimination-barriers that extend far beyond the health sector. Sustainableprogress hinges on strong accountability, driven by community leadership, poweredby civil society, and reinforced through cross-sector collaboration. WHo is leading thecharge to dismantle key inequities, pushing for systemic change and inclusivepolicies that guarantee every individual, no matter their circumstances, has theopportunity to receive the care, support, and protection they deserve. CALLS TO ACTION Ministries of Health,TB programmemanagers and otherpublic health leaders Community leaders General public • Educate yourself on TB causes,symptoms and prevention;: Don't believe in myths ormisinformation;Stand up against TB stigma anddiscrimination. : Ensure essent