Dear colleagues, partners and friends,
We are moving closer and closer to World TB Day 2021, and we want to make sure that all of us engaged in the TB response, as well as people affected by TB and TB survivors align and get together around this year’s theme “The Clock Is Ticking.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is in its second year and is unfortunately taking increasing medical resources and attention away from providing necessary life-saving diagnosis, medicine and care to people suffering from tuberculosis (TB). Alarmingly, in low and lower-middle-income countries, TB remains the biggest infectious disease killer. We have now less than two years left to fulfill our promises and take action on the commitments made at the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB in 2018 so, The Clock Is Ticking.
With this theme, the Stop TB Partnership and all partners are sounding the alarm that while we focuse on COVID-19, every single day 4000 people die and 27 000 people get sick with TB.
Now more than ever, we need redoubled support to raise awareness and our ambitions, honor commitments and mobilize badly needed resources to help achieve the UNHLM targets by 2022. World leaders have until December 2022 to make good on their words and keep their promises, or we risk losing thousands of lives to a curable and preventable disease.
Let us raise awareness ahead of World TB Day 2021!
On 24 February, one month to World TB Day, we will officially share “The Clock Is Ticking” campaign toolkit and materials to be used to boost awareness and urge political action. The campaign will aim to involve all of us to help make this global outreach successful and make sure that the effort to end TB gets the attention it requires.
Here is what YOU can do!
DEMAND ACTION – DON'T LET YOUR LEADERS RUN OUT THE CLOCK
World leaders are running late for a very important date. Global investment is at less than 50% of the US$13 billion per year that they promised. Countries are falling well short of the agreed targets to find people with TB and provide them with the prevention, treatment, and care. Progress is even slower for people, including children, who have drug-resistant TB. Join us @StopTB and our partners worldwide to demand immediate action from our governments.
LIGHT UP
Write to your mayor/council/local representatives to request their support for the "Light up for TB” campaign by lighting up local landmarks – especially Town Hall clocks - in red to show solidarity with people affected by TB and that the clock is ticking. See previous examples here and download a template letter here.
GET SOCIAL
The hashtags for this year’s World TB Day are #TheClockIsTicking, #TBTargets2022 and #WorldTBDay. Start raising awareness and share your plans with us on Twitter or Facebook. We will launch a simple and inclusive social media challenge for the week of World TB Day - more information on how you can take part in this exciting social media challenge will be shared at the official launch on 24 February.
MAKE IT GLITTER
Reach out to celebrities, influencers, TV personalities, etc., to ask them to join your efforts and raise awareness, write an article or blog, participate in shows and your events. We have a list of national celebrities, journalists and personalities that we can share with you case by case, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to get their contacts.
TEAM UP
Team up with TB stakeholders and partners to join forces to plan major World TB Day events, public mobilizations, and other activities. We have a database of partners at the country level – so do not hesitate to get in touch with us to identify the partners with whom you want to work for these events.
Let us work together and start preparing now. Let us be ambitious. Let us aim to reach a record number of people with our coordinated campaign and ensure everyone understands why The Clock Is Ticking for TB.
For more info and support, contact us at communications@stoptb.org
