The Regional Strategy to Stop TB in the Western Pacific 2011-2015

Significant progress has been made in tuberculosis (TB) control in the Western Pacific Region over the past decade. Every year, more than 1.3 million patients in the Region are diagnosed with TB and more than 90% of those with infectious forms of pulmonary tuberculosis are successfully treated. As a result of the successful expansion of quality TB services, the number of prevalent TB patients in the Region fell from 3.6 million in 2000 to 2 million in 2008, and fewer patients are dying of TB.

TB control programmes in the Region still face significant challenges that need to be addressed urgently with increased political commitment and resources. The Regional Strategy to Stop Tuberculosis in the Western Pacific (2011–2015) aims to provide guidance to countries in the development of their national TB control strategies, putting into practice the critical components of the Stop TB Strategy. The new strategy has been informed by the latest technical and health systems developments, including the introduction of new cross-cutting diagnostics.

Vision

To achieve elimination of TB as a public health problem. The definition of elimination is an incidence rate of less than 1 TB case per 1 million population.

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Goal

To reduce by half the prevalence of and mortality from all forms of TB by 2015, relative to 2000 level, in all countries with a high burden of TB by moving towards universal access to diagnosis and treatment of all forms of TB, including smear-negative and M/XDR-TB.

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Guiding principles

• Positioning the health systems strengthening agenda at the centre of the TB control strategy;
• Considering the legal and ethical issues of TB care and promoting a human rights-based approach to TB policy developments;
• Valuing partnership, participation and social mobilization at all stages of TB programming.

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5 Objectives

1. Promoting universal and equitable access to quality TB diagnosis and treatment for all people

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2. Strengthening TB laboratory capacity

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3. Scaling up the programmatic management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT)

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4. Expanding TB/HIV collaborative activities

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5. Strengthening TB programme management capacity