IDSA Pushes U.S. for U.N. Leadership on TB

In a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, IDSA urged the U.S. U.N. mission to push for strong targets on detecting, preventing and treating tuberculosis and on developing new diagnostics, treatments, vaccines and other essential tools to be included in the political declaration, the set of commitments UN member states will sign, that will result from the UN High Level Meeting on Ending TB. The High Level Meeting to be held during the UN General Assembly in New York in September will be the first time heads of states and senior government officials will gather at the U.N. to make concrete commitments toward ending the TB epidemic. 

The latest iteration of the political declaration lacks strong targets on treatment, prevention, financing and research and development. IDSA’s letter pushes U.S. negotiators to support strong commitments, which are necessary to drive and measure substantive progress toward eliminating TB in the years following the High Level Meeting. IDSA will continue engaging with the U.N., WHO, the administration, and congressional leaders on ensuring strong U.S. leadership in the run-up to the High Level Meeting.