Global HIV & TB: Heightened Impact - CDC annual meeting concludes in Atlanta

05 June 2015 - Today concludes a full week of packed sessions that the new CDC Division of Global HIV & TB had as part of their Annual Meeting under the overall umbrella Global HIV & TB: Heightened Impact.

The meeting also inaugurates the recent merger of the two units. The agency has consolidated TB and HIV activities under an enhanced programme in the CDC’s Center for Global Health, changing the Division of Global HIV/AIDS to the Division of Global HIV & TB to increase coordination and collaboration on TB and HIV and to maximize the CDC’s impact on global TB and HIV efforts.

Under the leadership of Dr Shannon Hader, the new division’s Director, more than 500 CDC country directors and team members gathered in Atlanta to discuss the different aspects of TB and HIV interventions. It was a rare opportunity to bring together CDC’s HIV and TB staff from around the world to celebrate progress, share best practices, discuss science and recommit to accelerated momentum towards shared goals.

The meeting which started on Monday had a first plenary on Accelarating Progress Towards Ending Global TB which was moderated by Dr Susan Maloney, the CDC’s Global TB Coordinator and Dr David Lowrance, CDC Haiti’s Country Director. Presentations followed, from Dr Hader, Dr Eric Goosby, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on TB, Dr Mario Raviglione, WHO’s Global TB Programme Director, Dr Paula Fujiwara, the Union’s Scientific Director, and Dr Lucica Ditiu, the Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership.

Dr Ditiu who was present at the opening session said, "This is a time when we need all hands on deck. That time has come in TB for everyone to have hope and inspiration if we want to end this disease. The CDC army of colleagues and their country presence is essential for our work. I was inspired to hear the discussion around the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets and to introduce our set of ambitious targets by 2020 and 2035 as well."

At the meeting, Dr Hader asked the meeting participants to consider how CDC can deliver on heightened impact both now and in the future, to reflect on and share their own experiences, and to be on the lookout for new solutions and distinctions. She said, "Together with our partners, we expect to make great progress in our fight against two global epidemics that cost the lives of millions of men, women, and children every year."