The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Region has one of the highest-burden of tuberculosis (TB), and to make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the TB response hard where the gains are projected to have been pushed back by 8-10 years. There was a need for a push to accelerate progress while sustaining the achievements made so far.
To reinvigorate the TB efforts, Nepal Tuberculosis Control Center (NTCC) co-hosted High-Level Meeting for Renewed TB Response in the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) with India and Indonesia on 26 October 2021. The event saw virtual participation by health ministers and high-level health officials from all 11 SEAR Member States - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
A glimpse of the ongoing efforts to end TB in Nepal. You can view the video, with Nepali subtitles, here.
During the event, which was technically and financially supported by WHO, the Hon. Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal, reaffirmed his commitment towards the continuation of all previous regional and global commitments in ending TB and to renewed commitments in scaling up efforts in the TB program by engaging all local levels. The call for renewed efforts was also declared and signed by all member states of the region.
Following this important step, WHO, Country Office for Nepal, supported the NTCC to draft and finalize TB Free Initiative that was put forward by the Minister as a key stepping stone for ending TB in Nepal. WHO also provided human resources, alongside technical support in all document development and knowledge sharing process with a cross country collaboration and sharing of lessons with National TB Programme India, where such initiative had been undergoing for the past 5 years. The document was endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Population on November 2021.
The TB Free Nepal Declaration Initiative, endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Population on November 2021, is a key stepping stone for ending TB in Nepal.
The plan was to start the initiative with 22 national local levels in the next 2 years, and throughout the country in the next 5 years. The plan would ensure accountability from all levels of the government and stakeholders for ending TB, and increase investments through multisectoral engagement.
To set the concept in motion, a national kick-off meeting with the Chief/Mayor of all 22 local levels together with provincial and national health ministries was organized on 10-12 December 2021 with WHO support. With an aim to cascade the national commitment to all local levels, the program was held for the successful initiation of the important mission to finally end TB in Nepal.