African leaders pledge to eliminate AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030

The heads of governments and their representatives from all of the 54 African Union (AU) members committed to increase domestic spending for health but did not set any specific targets for such an increase.

The Summit Declaration called for increased coverage and access to TB detection and treatment for all, including for Multi-Drug Resistant TB, TB in children and a special focus on vulnerable groups. It also called for a stronger involvement of communities in TB interventions and for increased integration of HIV and TB programmes.

It supported the plan by the Southern African Development Community to hold a summit on TB and mining.

"I am very pleased to see the AU setting ambitious goals, and I am particularly pleased that the African leaders stress the integration of the work to fight the three diseases," said Lucica Ditiu, Executive Secretary of the Stop TB Partnership. "The first Abuja conference on the three diseases twelve years ago initiated the tremendous progress we have seen over the past decade. Today's declaration will help drive the momentum and keep ambitions high over the coming years."

The African leaders also urged full funding for the Global Fund. The Global Fund is asking for US$15 billion for the coming three years; the majority of this funding would benefit Africa.

Support for the growth of the continent's own pharmaceutical industry featured strongly, both in the declaration from the meeting and during the discussions.

Source: Stop TB Partnership