For the first time, 14 United Nations agencies have joined forces to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and viral hepatitis – Europe’s deadliest communicable diseases. The commitment was demonstrated with the launch of the first-ever United Nations Common Position on Ending HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis through Intersectoral Collaboration in the WHO European Region.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe released a fact sheet, providing basic information on TB in the WHO European Region ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB to be held on 26 September.

Karam is a 23-year-old from the Khatlon region of Tajikistan. He came to Moscow in 2015 to work in construction, and 2 years later fell ill with a high fever and headache. He felt as though he had no strength, but nevertheless tried to carry on. When his condition became so severe that he was barely conscious – a state described by his doctors as the edge of life and death – Karam’s uncle, with whom he lives, called an ambulance.

4% annual decrease too slow to end TB by 2030

“Access to quality care and medications is limited. Women, children, adolescents – representing over 60% of the affected people – and the elderly are disproportionately affected by a severe reduction in health services, care and support.”

The Tuberculosis Action Plan for the WHO European Region, 2016–2020 has been developed to operationalize the global WHO End TB Strategy in the regional context. The Plan sets a regional goal and targets for the care and control of TB and drug-resistant TB from 2016 to 2020. It is currently in a midway of its implementation.

WHO/Europe: Fact sheets on Sustainable Development Goals: health targets

WHO/Europe releases a blueprint for a people-centred model of TB care that shifts care closer to people and communities.

New TB surveillance report released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the WHO Regional Office for Europe ahead of World TB Day.

Public Health Panorama is the journal of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe). It provides a platform to scientists and public health practitioners for the publication of lessons learned from the field, as well as original research work, to facilitate the use of evidence and good practice for public health action.