Ministers and Policymakers across the globe call for greater focus on financing and political will to end TB by 2030
March 13, New Delhi: PM of India, His Excellency Narendra Modi delivered the keynote speech to the Delhi End TB Summit at Vigyan Bhawan in an impressive ceremony attended by a large number of distinguished guests including Ministers of Health from various countries, heads of organizations, civil society representatives and other dignitaries. The Summit was jointly organized by the Government of India, Stop TB Partnership and WHO South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO).
In his inaugural speech, PM Modi reaffirmed his government’s commitment to End TB by 2025 and stressed the need for all partners, public and private and the civil society to come together to End TB in India, in the region and globally. PM Modi recognized the efforts of Stop TB Partnership and the WHO SEARO in organizing the Delhi End TB Summit and creating global awareness and support to end TB.
He personally recognized the Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, Dr. Lucica Ditiu for the Partnership’s tremendous contribution towards creating awareness and being a catalyst in rousing global support to end TB.
PM Modi said that "if we end TB in India, the world will have a better chance of ending it globally as India carries the world’s greatest burden of TB. If we make a village in India TB free, then a city and then another, we will achieve the target of ending TB in India." He stressed that all forces must come together to fight this battle - the private and public sectors and the civil society - all must join hand to overcome TB.
In November 2017 in Moscow, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin delivered the keynote speech to the first WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB and expressed his personal commitment towards ending TB in Russi and the world. On Tuesday, the presence of PM Modi, his bold speech and his political and personal commitment to End TB was inspirational for all participants and raised the level of expectations of similar leadership from other heads of state, especially with the fast approaching September UN High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB.
Speaking on the occasion and representing the Stop TB Partnership, Health Minister of Nigeria Hon. Isaac Folorunso Adewole said, "leaders across the globe need to seize this opportunity, make bold commitments and take a resolve to see the end of TB on a fast track. Actions to follow the commitments will need bold actions of health ministries, other ministries, the private sector, civil society and communities, and a wide range of stakeholders. It will be very important for heads of state to actively participate in the UNHLM to end the epidemic in my lifetime." Commending the Indian PM on his ambitious plans to end TB in India, Minister Adewole said that the world needs this spirit to end TB.
The Summit continued with the WHO SEARO High-Level South East Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting discussing achievements on TB one year after the adoption of the Delhi Call for Action to End TB in the South East Asia Region. The Stop TB Partnership Board meetings are ongoing and the Summit will culminate with Lancet TB Commission at the end of the week.
Left to right: Nigerian Minister of Health, Issac Adewole, Health Minister of Indonesia, Nila Moeloek,ndian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda, Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus and Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership Dr. Lucica Ditiu addressing the Summit.
Seated on stage, from left to right: Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership Dr. Lucica Ditiu; Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI Ms Anupriya Patel; Health Minister of Indonesia, Nila Moeloek; Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nigerian Minister of Health, Issac Adewole, Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus; Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh; and ED of the Global Fund, Peter Sands during the inaugural session of the Summit;