TB REACH publishes results from first round of funding

Effective and sustainable solutions highlighted by partners in trying to reach the three million missed by health systems

The results from the Stop TB Partnership's first wave of TB REACH funding demonstrates how in less than a year of implementation, grantees showed some remarkable successes with impressive gains in case detection. The study proves that large gains in TB case notification can still be achieved 20 years after the start of DOTS expansion, and at a time when global case notification trends are stagnant.

According to Mr Jacob Creswell, Team Leader for TB REACH, "The results of this work is really exciting. They demonstrate that our partners have made enormous contributions to improving case detection across many different settings and areas. If we continue with the status quo in TB - we will continue an unacceptable slow decline in prevalence and incidence. We need these types of new approaches and fresh thinking."

Many people with TB across a variety of settings are still not being reached using current approaches, and the article proposes TB REACH as a model for developing much needed innovation that can produce affordable rapid gains in efforts to control a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality.

"Our partners have shown that with extra efforts and extra funding, major gains can be realized. It is now our collective work to see how these and other approaches from TB REACH in subsequent waves can be scaled up, sustained and have an impact at the country level. We are very grateful for Canada's support for this initiative and hope to continue to document the incredible achievements of our partners' work in the fight against TB," added Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Secretary of the Stop TB Partnership. 

For the full paper, see here.