The Stop TB Partnership attended a KNCV meeting on TB stigma reduction from 11 - 12 December in The Hague, Netherlands, and explored ways to progress TB stigma-related work at the country level. The Stop TB Partnership was pleased to support the participation of colleagues from the Global Coalition of TB Activists, as well as representatives from regional TB community networks.
For most people affected by TB, stigma exacerbates medical and social hardship and, in many instances, it is a barrier to quality diagnosis, treatment and care. As articulated in the regional 2016 - 2017 community advocate workshops, supported by Stop TB Partnership and the Global Coalition of TB Activists, identifying the root causes of stigma and responding to them must be prioritized to end TB.
In The Hague, KNCV presented the guidance developed on TB stigma measurement. In 2018, the Stop TB Partnership, drawing from this guidance, will work with national programs, community and civil society representatives, and networks, KNCV and other partners to develop and roll out an easy-to-use tool that country programs can use to measure and reduce the stigma that is hampering TB services and interventions, and causing people to drop out of treatment or avoid health care entirely.