The annual meeting of the Childhood TB subgroup took place in Barcelona, Spain on Monday 27 October 2014. The meeting was attended by over 90 participants representing paediatricians, NTP managers, technical and financial partners, community TB representatives and WHO staff from regions and countries. This year, the meeting focused on scaling up childhood TB activities at country level with interesting experiences from Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UR Tanzania, Kenya and Vietnam. Participants were also briefed on the regional activities, in particular the workshops with multiple stakeholders to prepare national action plans for scaling up childhood TB. The Chair gave an update on the work of the subgroup since October 2013 and on the plans for 2015. An update was given on progress made with the implementation of the Childhood TB Roadmap, one year after its launch. New training materials on childhood TB were announced including the WHO/Union training modules and an e-learning tool for health workers at the lower levels of the health care system that will become available soon. The TB Alliance presented progress made towards the development of childhood-friendly TB formulations that may become available during the second half of 2015. WHO gave an update on the childhood TB estimates including the work on estimating the burden of TB in adolescents. USAID presented the childhood TB landscape analysis which is currently under development in close collaboration with partners and countries. TAG shared the key messages of the 2014 TB R&D tracking report showing funding trends for R&D on paediatric TB and highlighting areas for advocacy. The meeting concluded with an update on current research focusing on new TB treatment strategies in children; an update from the Sentinel project; and, an update on significant recent research papers that have been published since the meeting in 2013.

The meeting concluded with the following action points: Bring childhood TB to STAG-TB 2015 and invite colleagues working on maternal and child health as well as HIV/AIDS to facilitate integration; Document and publish scaling up activities; Assist countries to include Childhood TB in all steps of the Global Fund New Funding Model (e.g. NTP review, National TB strategic plan, gap analysis, concept note); Encourage countries to identify national and regional champions on paediatric TB; Build and expand regional capacity to address growing requests for technical assistance in particular in light of the development, finalization and implementation of national action plans for scaling up childhood TB.

Click here for the Meeting Agenda

Click here for the meeting report

2014 Annual Meeting Presentations