The TBpeople Philippines is urging the public to sign its petition as part of the “World TB Day 2023” commemoration.
The group is also seeking support for its “Fast Track the Cure” campaign.
“Sign our petition now to ask world leaders and partners in the global tuberculosis (TB) response to commit to providing universal access to new, shorter, and effective six-month drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) treatments by 2024,” the group, in an online petition said.
The group said nobody anywhere in the world should have to die from TB. Despite being
preventable and curable, TB is one the world’s oldest and deadliest pandemics, infecting 10 million and killing 1.6 million each year, the group said.
Recently, major scientific breakthroughs have resulted in new, shorter, safer, and more effective cures for DR-TB. But many who need these new cures can’t access them today. Only a third of the nearly half a million people suffering from DR-TB were treated in 2021.
By bringing our voices together we can say loudly that people living with DR-TB have a right to the care they need and deserve. This includes having access to the latest and best available medicines.
Old treatments for DR-TB are still being widely used today. These treatments take 18+ months to complete and are successful less than 60% of the time. Those living with DR-TB must be able to access new World Health Organization endorsed six-month treatments, which have a 90% success rate.
Yes, we can end TB if we use all the tools at our disposal and invest the required resources and political will.
Join our movement to fast-track new DR-TB cures and stimulate TB responses that are rights-based, gender sensitive and people centered. Sign our petition now, which will be presented to global leaders attending the United Nations High Level Meeting on TB in September 2023.