The Department of Health (DOH) joined the Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Partnership 37th Board Meeting in Brasilia, Brazil to boost TB elimination efforts in the country.

According to DOH, the meeting served as a venue for world leaders to share insights and best practices with the ultimate goal of eliminating TB in the following areas: ways forward and followup of the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB in New York; development, production, and roll-out of TB vaccines; innovations for TB response; ensuring access to quality assured, affordable TB products; global fund investment in TB response; and community-led TB monitoring.

"In the 2023 State of the Nation, our President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. declared tuberculosis as one of his priorities, underscoring the urgency of the problem and the important role of each stakeholder and partner in the fight against TB," DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said during his speech in the first day of the session.

"The DOH is serious about its commitment to stop TB," Herbosa added.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized the support and commitment of each country in eliminating the disease.

"When there's a will, there's a way. We need your support to: (1) Follow through on political commitments; (2) To close the funding gap of US $22 billion; and (3) Mobilize the scientific resources to develop new TB vaccines," Ghebreyesus added.