16 November 2012 - Kuala Lumpur - The first ever Civil Society Declaration on Tuberculosis was presented today at the Union World Conference on Lung Health. The declaration spells out the universal values, principles and demands that guide civil society advocacy efforts towards the goal of zero TB deaths.
In another landmark, Nils Billo, Executive Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, met with civil society representatives in the context of the conference. Their aim: to agree on ways that civil society can play an important role in Union events and governance.
The document will also be presented to the boards of the Union and the Stop TB Partnership at their meetings this weekend.
Click here to access the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Stop TB Partnership web site.
To sign on to the declaration, send an email to KLZerodeclaration@gmail.com with your name, organizational affiliation (if any), city and country of residence and email address.
The text of the declaration is below:
The Kuala Lumpur Civil Society Declaration on Tuberculosis
ZERO TB DEATHS
Statement from TB civil society representatives presented at the 2012 UNION World Conference
We, the undersigned tuberculosis (TB) civil society representatives, community members and our supporters, recognize that we are at a pivotal moment in our battle to stop the deadly spread of TB around the world. Policy and science are aligned as never before making it possible to envision an end to the TB epidemic in our lifetimes. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to lead the movement for ZERO TB deaths and this declaration codifies the values, principles and demands that will guide our civil society advocacy efforts as we progress towards our goal.
The international community's neglect of the TB pandemic must end. Every country in the world has the potential to reach ZERO TB deaths. Those that stand in the way of this goal have blood on their hands. TB affects and kills millions every year and impoverishes and degrades the lives of countless more. This suffering and death occurs despite the fact that TB is preventable and can be cured with access to lifesaving TB prevention strategies, diagnostic tools and treatments. We are not satisfied with the two-tiered system where the rich can access life-saving TB care and treatment while the poor are doomed to suffering and death. We do not accept the deaths of countless adults and children who die of TB in the 21st century, from a disease that has been preventable and curable since the late 1940's. Ending this pandemic and providing the health care needs of those affected by TB and TB/HIV is a core responsibility of governments, bilateral and multilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and civil society representatives.
We must collectively commit to the goal of ZERO TB deaths and ZERO new TB infections NOW!
As civil society leaders, we will work individually and together, at regional, national and multilateral levels, on the efforts outlined below: