Stop TB Partnership

Published by the Stop TB Partnership, the 167-page Global Plan to Stop TB 2006 - 2015 is a comprehensive assessment of the action and resources needed to implement the Stop TB strategy and make an impact on fighting tuberculosis (TB). The document highlights ten actions that are key to the success of the Global Plan.

The document is made up of three parts. Part I sets out the Partnership’s strategic directions for 2006 - 2015, based on recent achievements and the current
situation. Part II summarises planned regional activities, costs and impact for all regions with a high burden of TB, based on an ambitious but realistic scenario. It also considers what would be needed to accelerate progress towards halving prevalence and death rates in Africa and Eastern Europe. Part III summarises the strategic plans for the Partnership’s
working groups and Secretariat.

In terms of knowledge and communication, the document states that there is still limited awareness of TB. Stigma, and poor knowledge about what types of TB services are available and effective, contribute to underuse of services and to the social costs of TB. Where quality services are available and truly accessible, it is essential to devise communication strategies to raise awareness of TB and the available treatment services, and to counter stigma. There is a need to engage people with TB and affected communities to demand, and contribute to, effective care. This will involve scaling up community TB care; creating demand through context-specific advocacy, communication and social mobilisation; and supporting development of a patient’s charter for the tuberculosis community.

The plan proposes that there is an urgent need for advocacy, communications and social mobilisation (ACSM) in endemic countries, directed at rapidly building a multilevel, multisectoral social movement to eliminate TB. Achieving a high level of social commitment within heath service delivery systems is particularly crucial in the context of TB. There is a need for processes that will help and empower communities to take ownership of and drive the agenda for TB elimination. Rigorous application of communication and social mobilisation strategies will contribute to achieving the Partnership’s targets.


The vision of the ACSM Working Group at country level is the establishment and funding of evidence-based and country-driven ACSM activities aimed at bringing about sustainable societal and behavioural change. The formulation of strong country ACSM plans needs to be supported by adequate in-country
human and financial resource commitments. Additionally, the ACSM Working Group will mobilise assistance to countries in the form of tools and franchising, training, technical advisers, opportunities for information exchange, and regular formal assessments to ensure effective ACSM programming.

Limited awareness of TB in countries with low TB incidence is also a barrier to raising donor funds for TB control in countries with high or medium TB incidence. Effective global advocacy is essential to place TB high on the political and development agenda in donor countries and in countries with high or medium TB incidence, foster political will, and increase financial and other resources on a sustainable basis. The ACSM Working Group will seek to achieve this by: broadening the coalition of Stop TB advocacy partners; linking TB advocacy with other global social movements, especially HIV/AIDS; fostering prominent TB champions; empowering patients and communities; and mobilising strategically timed and focused initiatives aimed at policy-makers, legislators, funding institutions and the media.

The use of communication materials is also seen as a strategy to addressing differential access to health care based on gender. This will include developing gender-sensitive information, education and
communication (IEC) programmes and activities; and using gender-sensitive technical training for health workers to overcome any gender-specific barriers to TB diagnosis and treatment.

In endemic countries the following communication activities will aim to eliminate stigma and discrimination and to improve case detection and treatment.

• Develop ACSM guidelines and handbooks to improve knowledge exchange and promote good practices for ACSM at country level. These documents will include
  assessment and problem-solving tools to enable national TB programmes, civil society and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive, country-driven ACSM strategies in support of TB control. Materials will include examples of country experiences and tools related to communications programming, patient and community involvement in TB programme design, ACSM human resource development, strategic planning, operational research, monitoring and evaluation.
• Create a technical assistance framework to assist countries and civil society organisations with ACSM planning, activities, monitoring and evaluation. The framework will also include assistance to endemic countries to help develop Global Fund proposals to resource these activities on an ongoing basis.
• Develop, adapt and promote clear policy messages. Prototype ACSM messages, materials, images and strategies are essential to brand, market, and align global, national and local ACSM activities.

The Plan also proposes to use the influence of the media. Increased media visibility is critical for building awareness and facilitating policy dialogue, providing a strong profile and voice for affected communities, and for resource and social mobilisation. The media are also an important channel for messages aimed at effecting behavioural and societal change. Activities to generate media interest will include preparing a global and regional media strategy, educating and engaging the media, organising media events around key opportunities, producing press-friendly materials, etc.

Click here for background information, and to download the Executive Summary in English, French or Spanish.

TechNet 21, January 30 2006.