For four days, the ancient city of Varanasi (INDIA) becomes the brain and heart of the global TB response.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – For the first time ever, the Stop TB Partnership Board will meet face-to-face on World TB Day, in India – the country with the highest TB burden and at the same time – the highest ambitions, plans and actions to fight TB.

The world’s oldest inhabited city – Varanasi, India will be the epicenter of the TB response from March 23-26, 2023 – with expected innovations, initiatives, commitments and funding to be announced in support of the movement world centered on the World Tuberculosis Day 2023 campaign of Yes! We can end TB.

For the first time, the Stop TB Council – which is co-branded with the G20 Presidency, will be preceded by the high-level event “A Global Summit on TB” under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, as keynote speaker. With incredible leadership and vision, bold ambition and groundbreaking initiatives and interventions, India is leading the way to end TB globally.

Four days of high-octane activities will include:

The 23^rd March: REACH India with USAID and the Stop TB Partnership, will organize a unique event that will ensure that India’s TB champions and TB survivors take center stage. Over 50 TB champions from across India will join the national TB elimination program on the eve of World TB Day and share their critical contributions in the fight to end TB as well as shortcomings and the challenges that need to be addressed to end TB in India by 2025. Communities should release a collective vision THE Varanasi Declarationto capture the essence of this community mobilization and engagement.

24^e March: World Tuberculosis Day (WTBD), Government of India and Stop TB Partnership to Host High Level Summit on Tuberculosis “A global summit against tuberculosis”. The Summit’s keynote address will be delivered by the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, who will also launch multiple initiatives aimed at ending TB by 2025 in India.

Ministers of health and senior government officials from 35 different countries, technical partners, TB survivors, civil society, donors, private sector healthcare manufacturers and providers, researchers, academics and innovators will be present to indicate their ongoing efforts and commitments to end TB.

It is an incredible honor for all of us that the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, has agreed to grace the Global TB Summit and deliver the keynote address. India is leading the TB response – a heavy burden but incredible vision and action. 24^e In March, the Prime Minister will announce several initiatives that will continue the country’s efforts to end TB by 2025. We at the Stop TB Partnership are honored and proud to support the government in every way we can. , the Minister of Health and his incredible team. We strongly believe that India will achieve the goals of eliminating TB by 2025 and will lead the way for the whole world.

I am very happy to see over 35 countries represented on our Board of Directors as well as all of our incredible

Tuberculosis survivors, champions and partners. It’s a history moment – we all come together on World Tuberculosis Day, in an ancient city like Varanasi, to plan an end to ancient diseases like tuberculosis. As Vice-Chair of the Board of the Stop TB Partnership, I welcome all Board Members, Alternate Board Members and guests to our meetings and I am confident that we can end TB together”–

said Mr. Austin Obiefuna, Vice-Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Board.

The 25th^e March: The Board Meeting will be opened by the Chairman, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and the Vice Chairman, Mr. Austin Obiefuna, Executive Director of the Afro Global Alliance. Community and NGO delegations assigned to the Stop TB Partnership Board will take the floor to launch The Accountability Report for Communities and Civil Society Affected by Tuberculosis: Priorities for Closing the Deadly Divide. With contributions from over 1,200 TB-affected communities and civil society partners from over 92 countries, the report’s 6 ‘calls to action’ provide a community perspective on progress against goals and priorities to end tuberculosis. The first day of the Council will include a forward-looking session “Making the impossible – possible” where one- to two-year innovations in TB service delivery, data systems, digital health, diagnostics, treatment and care developed in India.

26^e March: The Board will continue deliberations on continuing the engagement for the success of the UN HLM on TB in September, through to the funding of the TB response – centered on the engagement with the Global Fund. There will be the finalization of the board governance review which will reveal a unique structure in global health with over 50% of voting members from high TB ​​burden countries. The board meeting will officially end on the same day.