79th WHA Individual Statements
This statement by MMI is supported by PHM.
Tuberculosis is the biological consequence of structural violence. We urge MS to reject fragmented, donor dependent and market based TB responses and to invest in comprehensive PHC that includes safe housing and social protection.
The strategy privileges biomedical fixes and ignores undernutrition, a primary driver of TB. We ask WHO to require reporting of undernutrition as a baseline indicator in TB surveillance and monitoring frameworks.
CHWs play a central role in TB responses. We call on MS to include CHWs and people with lived experience of TB in governance, R&D, and procurement processes; and to guarantee formal contracts, fair wages, social security, occupational protection, TB screening, and access to care for CHWs.
WHO should actively support use of TRIPS flexibilities, public pharmaceutical production, inclusion of ABS obligations in clinical trials, and equitable technology transfer to achieve meaningful progress on TB, NTDs and immunisation agenda.