London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The ongoing global epidemic of TB has led experts to call for a complete overhaul in how the disease is tackled. A global alliance of experts in the Stop TB Partnership have launched a Global Plan to End TB which will save an estimated 10 million lives, and prevent a further 45 million TB cases.

The new five-year plan will require a $56 billion investment package from 2016-2020, and will offer a huge benefit to affected individuals, families and communities with an estimated return of $85 for each dollar invested. The Stop TB Partnership hopes that this plan will bring the world within reach of eliminating global TB by 2030, in line with the recently announced Sustainable Development Goals.

The Global Plan to End TB aims to drastically reduce the burden of TB worldwide with three main targets to be met by 2020. The 90-(90)-90 targets are:

1. To have 90% of all people with tuberculosis diagnosed and treated
2. As part of part (i), ensure 90% of the most vulnerable populations in all countries are diagnosed and treated.
3. Ensure 90% of people diagnosed successfully complete treatment with services to ensure adherence and social support.

Dr Helen Fletcher, Director of the TB Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, commented on the news: "The Global Plan to End TB calls for a paradigm shift in our thinking, activities and ambition.  Now is not the time for caution, we must aim for a world free of TB and it is time rise up to the challenges outlined in The Global Plan to End TB.

"Just last month, TB became the top infectious disease killer worldwide. In 2014, 9.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.5 million died from the disease. The number of people with a new diagnosis of TB has fallen by an average of 1.5% per year since 2000 and ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals. 

"The task is daunting but we can achieve this if researchers, governments, multilateral organisations, NGOs, industry and funders respond now, working together as a community. We are ready to end TB."

The TB Centre is a collection of world-leading TB clinicians, epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, mathematical modellers and social scientists who work globally to reduce the burden of TB disease. Find out more about their work on the TB Centre website.

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