Stop TB Partnership Communiqué
Issue No.32
May 2003

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News from the Stop TB Partnership Secretariat (web site)

Dr Jong-Wook Lee of the Republic of Korea has been elected as the next Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr Lee was elected by the World Health Assembly, which brings together all 192 Member States of WHO, following his nomination to the post at the Executive Board meeting in January. He is the first person from the Republic of Korea chosen to head a United Nations agency.

Dr Lee said his five key priority areas will be: Meeting the health targets of the Millennium Development Goals; shifting resources to serve countries more effectively; running WHO more efficiently; ensuring that WHO becomes more accountable, both financially and in its contribution to health outcomes; and strengthening human resources both inside WHO and within Member States.

Until his nomination as D-G in January, Dr. Lee served as director of the Stop TB Department of WHO, which is responsible for TB strategies and policies, country and regional offices support, and monitoring and evaluation. The department also houses the Stop TB Partnership Secretariat.

View Press Release
View Dr Lee's Speech

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Recruitment of Executive Secretary (TBP)
Deadline for applications : 4 July 2003
The incumbent leads and is responsible for the overall management of the Secretariat of the Global Partnership to Stop TB, which is housed in the CDS/STOP TB Department of WHO in Geneva. As Executive Secretary, the incumbent directs and supervises WHO staff and staff seconded from partner organizations working in the Secretariat.
(link to http://erecruit.who.int/e-jobs/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.cfm?jobinfo_uid_c=437&vaclng=en)

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New Foundation Established for TB Diagnostics

In response to the critical need for new tools to detect tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a new initiative focused on developing new diagnostics. As detailed in an article in the 22 May 2003 issue of the Economist magazine, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) will work in collaboration with WHO/TDR, the diagnostics industry and other organizations to apply the latest biotechnology innovations to develop and validate affordable diagnostic tests for diseases of the developing world. The Gates Foundation has committed up to $30 million over the next five years to the initiative, which will initially focus solely on tuberculosis.

(link to pdf press release)

FIND was simultaneously launched on 22 May in Geneva at the World Health Assembly and in Seattle at the American Thoracic Society. Within a day of launch, FIND has already announced its first technical collaborative activity: 2 Requests for Applications for funding of TB diagnostic development (link to TDR website at www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/call and to FIND website at www.finddiagnostics.org). The attached RFAs call for targeted product research toward 1) an antigen detection system for case-finding or follow-up, and 2) improved AFB microscopy methods. Proposals are invited in either of these areas as described in the RFAs, with deadlines for submission of 1 August.

Building on the success of the former TDR program called the Tuberculosis Diagnostics Initiative, FIND has been further empowered to quickly turn methods into products, untested products into fully evaluated products, and promising tests into tools with demonstrated impact and feasibility.

FIND is an independent not-for-profit foundation located in Geneva close to WHO and TDR. Further information about FIND can be found on the FIND website or through direct contact with Giorgio Roscigno, the Executive Director, and Mark Perkins, FIND's new Scientific Director.

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The Hague Consultations

The 2nd ad hoc Committee on the TB epidemic (established under the auspices of the DOTS Expansion Working Group) will meet in September 2003 to finalise its report, aimed at making strategic recommendations for DOTS implementation. Many of the challenges facing DOTS implementation are not TB-specific and relate to broad health system themes. A series of five consultations on health system themes and TB will be held over the next 3 months. The provisional dates and venues are as follows:

1) Primary care providers (including local NGOs), Kampala, Uganda, 3 - 4 July 2003 (in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Uganda)

2) Social mobilisation and political commitment, Cancun, Mexico, 30 June - 1 July 2003 (in collaboration with Ministry of Health, Mexico, and the Millennium Development Goals Project)

3) Human resources for health, Geneva, Switzerland, 27 - 28 August 2003 (in collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation)

4) Expanding the Stop TB Partnership, Durban, South Africa, 9 June 2003 (in collaboration with the World Economic Forum)

5) Health system reform, Washington DC, USA, 30 June 2003 (in collaboration with the World Bank)

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Grand Challenges in Global Health

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed 200 million US dollars to establish the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, USA. Instead of stating what they will fund and seeking grant proposals, the Gates Foundation is first seeking proposals for what should be funded in the form of 1500-word submissions by June 15.

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TB-Related News and Journal Items Weekly Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the TB-Related News and Journal Items Weekly Update as a public service only. (Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on TB does not constitute CDC endorsement.) The Update may also include information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on articles in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), fact sheets, and press releases.

Those interested may subscribe, or change their subscriptions, by visiting the web site http://lists.asciences.com/mailman/listinfo/tb-update.

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New Partners
We are pleased to announce the acceptance of the following organizations into the Global Partnership to Stop TB in the month of May 2003.

Accredited Writers
Ms Mary Ann Cincotta
4th Street No. 69
La Center
WA, USA
E-mail: info@accreditedwriters.com

Medical Research of Zimbabwe
Mr Paul Ndebele
Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe
Josiah Tongogara / Mazoe Street
P.O. Box CY 573, Causeway
Harare, Zimbabwe
E-mail: mrcz@blair.co.zw

Preventive Medicine
Dr Anh Hoang Mai
Vice Director
Preventive Medicine Centre
12B Le Loi
Long Xuyen-An Giang, Viet Nam
E-mail: aidsaganh@hcm.vnn.vn

The new partners have been accepted after due consideration and having completed all the required steps for joining the partnership.

We at the Secretariat, and on behalf of all the partners in the Stop TB Partnership, extend our congratulations to you and welcome you to the fight to stop TB.

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Collaboration and Knowledge Development

On 28 April 2003, representatives from nine international health organizations and agencies took part in a meeting sponsored by the Stop TB Partnership and the WHO/MIS department to discuss how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can facilitate knowledge sharing and, in particular, collaboration for global communities. The objectives of this one-day meeting were:

  • To provide a forum for participants to discuss ICT and international development with peers from other organizations.
  • To arrive at a shared understanding of the work being performed by these organizations and the trends in solution planning, selection, and implementation.
  • To identify potential synergies between organizations and steps towards realizing them.

Several organizations are now considering joint initiatives to share the costs and benefits of developing common systems. An informal working group will coordinate these efforts.

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News from the Stop TB Working Groups (web site)

DOTS Expansion Working Group (DEWG)

  • The FIDELIS Project
    The International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (IUATLD) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the first round of funding for the FIDELIS Project, an acronym for the Fund for Innovative DOTS Expansion through Local Initiatives to Stop TB. For more information, and a downloadable Word document, please visit the IUATLD website.
  • DOTS Expansion was the main focus for representatives of nine high burden countries and donor and technical agencies attending this year's AMRO/PAHO Interagency Coordination Committee in the Dominican Republic.
    Bolivia, Honduras, and Mexico were praised for their progress on DOTS expansion. At the same time, Peru and Nicaragua signalled their intention to strengthen DOTS which is at 100% coverage. This means the region is on target to reach its 2005 goals if the remaining countries of Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Haiti accelerate DOTS expansion.
    Day two looked in detail at issues relating to improving case detection, MDR-TB, TB/HIV and the Global Fund.
    On the final day, after delegates visited NTP schemes, the meeting concluded with fresh calls to accelerate DOTS expansion and recommendations to increase case detection through community care schemes and public-private partnership plans.
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TB/HIV

  • The Global TB/HIV Working Group of the Stop TB Partnership will hold its third annual meeting on 4- 6 June 2003 in Montreux, Switzerland. This meeting will bring together about 120 participants from national programmes, international organizations, academic and scientific institutions, and NGO's from different parts of the world. The objective of the meeting is to accelerate an effective joint TB/HIV response to the epidemic of HIV-associated TB in all affected countries by facilitating sharing of information and experiences, networking, and by strengthening the partnership among TB and HIV communities in a forum environment. The main topics that are going to be discussed include progress in policy development, implementation of TB/HIV activities, resource mobilization, operational research and the regional responses needed to address this important public health issue
  • Protocol Development Workshop for Joint TB/HIV Activities, Dakar, Senegal, 12-16 May 2003.

  • Six francophone African countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Rwanda and Senegal) were represented by their TB and AIDS programme managers plus a representative of an NGO and successfully worked with WHO staff to develop outline proposals. Now the main priority for the six countries is the development of a complete workplan and plan of activities, with detailed budget and timelines. They have a deadline of 31 August, and WHO has offered seed funding to provide any technical assistance necessary to finalize the proposals as well as for consensus-building activities within countries.
  • A meeting on "Social Franchising of TB and TB/HIV in Low Resource Settings," organized by the Rockefeller Foundation, New York, 28-29 April 2003.

    The aim of the meeting was to explore social franchising as a possible approach to increasing the human and financial resources brought to bear on the joint epidemics of TB and HIV in Africa. The meeting was organized as part of the Rockefeller Fouondation's initiative on human resources for health. The Chair, Professor Gijs Elzinga, RIVM, Holland has pursued this approach to try and address persistent constraints facing the TB/HIV Working Group when it comes to implementing activities. These include severely limited human resources and the poor quality of existing services. Franchising offers the possibility of increasing the human resources and expenditure available for TB and HIV control, as well as improving the quality of services.

    The meeting brought together experts with TB experience and those with franchising experience. The conclusion of the meeting was that the idea of social franchising in a public/private mix (PPM) mode is worth pursuing by aiming to establish a pilot site in sub-Saharan Africa to address, ultimately, the dual epidemic of HIV and TB. The next steps will include a report of the meeting; a proposal for submission to donors; an exploration of possible pilot sites; and the formation of a small group of 5-6 people to push the idea forward.

  • The German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA) held a workshop to develop operational research projects for collaborative TB/HIV programme activities in Bagamayo, Tanzania on May 12-16, 2003. The objective of the meeting was to develop proposals for collaborative TB/HIV activities for Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, which will be supported by GLRA. The aim of the proposals is to test the benefits and cost effectiveness of developing collaboration between TB and HIV/AIDS programmes.
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New Drugs via the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development
Save the following dates:

1. Gordon Research Conference on Tuberculosis Drug Discovery, Oxford, UK, August 31-September 5, 2003, with TB Alliance sponsorship of speakers and participants from endemic countries.

Leading TB scientists and experts will address a wide range of topics relevant to the discovery and development of new treatments for TB, and share findings using the most advanced state-of-the-art technology. Sessions include Targeting the Cell Wall, Novel Target Identification and Validation, Structure-Based Design, Identifying the Lead Compound, Unravelling Persistence and Latency, Application of Global Gene Expression Technology, Lead Optimisation, and Beyond the Laboratory. There will also be poster sessions. The format of Gordon Conference promotes extensive discussion of the issues and challenges facing researchers in the field. For the most up-to-date information on the conference please visit http://www.grc.uri.edu/programs/2003/tuberc.htm

Please note: this meeting is by invitation only. Interested participants should address correspondence to GRC@tballiance.org.

For more information on the TB Alliance sponsorship of participants from endemic countries and how to apply, please visit: http://www.tballiance.org/7_1_1GenericNewsArticles.asp?itemId=353

2. Open Annual Meeting of the Working Group on New Drugs and of the Stakeholders Association of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Paris, France, October 30, 2003, in conjunction with the IUATLD World Conference on Lung Health.

This is an all-day series of consultations, presentations and business meetings open to all participants at the IUATLD conference. We will map developments in the field of TB drug development, review the progress of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, and strategize joint advocacy initiatives for new TB drug development. There will also be a formal business session restricted to representatives of official member organizations of the Stakeholders Association. Expect a full day of activities.

As we approach the date, more details, including agenda and exact location, will be posted at www.tballiance.org/Fall2003event

3. Request for Proposals from the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

A reminder that the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development ("TB Alliance") is currently receiving and reviewing proposals from organizations having promising new agents for the treatment of tuberculosis. Proposals are sought for compounds that have demonstrated clear evidence of significant and improved anti-TB activity, and/or that may become lead compounds in the treatment of TB. Priority will be given to agents with the potential to shorten the duration of chemotherapy, improve the treatment of latent TB, and be effective against MDR-TB. The deadline is July 15.

For more information, instructions and application: http://www.tballiance.org/5_1_RFP.asp

Questions concerning program or application requirements may be directed via email to RFP@tballiance.org.

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News from the Global Drug Facility (GDF) (web site)

GDF Applications/Review Update:

The GDF has, to date, received applications from 69 countries of which 46 have been approved for support.

The final recommendations of the Sixth Technical Review Committee (TRC) were to approve four new applications from Mali (emergency), Madagascar (emergency), Yemen (regular) and Egypt (regular). New applications from Madagascar (regular) and Macedonia were placed under consideration. All applications from countries previously under consideration or re-submissions were approved including Eritrea, Côte d'Ivoire and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Of the monitoring country applications, Tajikistan, Somalia, DR Congo and Djibouti were all approved.

Country visits to all countries approved for GDF support at the Sixth TRC will be arranged and will take place in the next few months.

Consultants database

Consultants Database: The secretariat is currently creating a database of consultants to take part in GDF country and monitoring missions.

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GDF Procurement/Supply Update:

The adjudication panel for the selection of the new GDF procurement agent has made its final recommendation. The formal announcement awaits negotiation of the final contract.

The pre-qualification process for the production of a "white list" of TB manufacturers and anti-TB products meeting WHO/international standards is still ongoing. Publication of the first "white list" is expected in early July.

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GDF Direct Procurement:

The GDF’s Direct Procurement Service enables eligible governments and their partner organizations to purchase high-quality, low-cost drugs directly through the GDF. The aim of the direct procurement mechanism is to promote DOTS expansion.

The GDF is currently working on the production of a revised information pack to promote the Direct Procurement Service. In parallel to this, contact has been made with potential interested parties who have received the GDF Direct Procurement information sheet.

Through the developing GDF partnership programme, we are working with volunteer marketing experts from Proctor and Gamble on how best to market and promote the Direct Procurement Mechanism. It is hoped that through this strengthening partnership, Proctor and Gamble volunteers will become involved in other GDF projects.

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GDF External Evaluation Update:

The GDF, housed at WHO HQ for an initial two-year period, has recently undergone an external evaluation by a team from McKinsey and Company to determine its future and its governance. The evaluation was concluded last month and the official report has been finalized.

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Calendar of Events (web site)

For more information on upcoming events, please click on the above link:

May/August 2003

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In Print

All documents are available from the CDS Information Resource Centre; fax: +41 22 791 4285; e-mail: cdsdoc@who.int.

- A list of selected recent articles from refereed journals, book chapters, and other publications on the subject of TB control is available at http://www.who.int/gtb/publications/

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    'Stop TB' - a global movement to accelerate social and political action to stop the spread of tuberculosis around the world. For further information please contact the Stop TB Secretariat at: stoptbinfo@who.int