Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), particularly multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), is a grave threat to TB control worldwide and a major public health concern in several countries.

Since its inception, the Working Group on MDR-TB of the Stop TB Partnership has successfully piloted a programmatic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of MDR-TB using the innovative Green Light Committee initiative. To support scale-up towards universal access to quality management of MDR-TB, a new global framework was developed and launched in 2011 as a result of an inclusive process undertaken by key stakeholders supporting the expansion of MDR-TB services and care. The importance of universal access to management of MDR-TB is well known to country programmes and their partners, but several significant barriers and challenges still prevent fulfilment of this goal.