Screening for TB disease

Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections

The WHO Department leads the global effort to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), ensuring that every person has equitable access to highest-quality people-centred scientific evidence and services, regardless of who they are or where they live.

About us

Vision

To lead the global effort to end the epidemics of HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), ensuring that every person has equitable access to highest-quality people-centred scientific evidence and services, regardless of who they are or where they live.

To develop and implement evidence-based normative guidance and standards, leveraging data and science, to ensure access to the latest health innovations, across the full continuum of public health, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care.

To safeguard and expand access to essential services for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs and their determinants including for key and vulnerable populations, in collaboration with key multisectoral stakeholders and communities, while contributing to strengthening health systems, enhancing health and well-being and saving lives.

Contact

World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
1211 Geneva, 27 Switzerland

Email contacts per topic:

HIV: [email protected]

TB: [email protected]@who.int

Hepatitis: [email protected]

STIs: [email protected]

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Dr Tereza Kasaeva

Director

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Dr Matteo Zignol

Unit Head of the Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, Care and Innovation

Dr Farai Mavhunga

Unit Head, People-centred Services, Communities and Determinants (PCD)

Dr Katherine Floyd

Unit Head, TB Monitoring, Evaluation and Strategic Information

Mr Michael McCullough

Unit Head, Planning, Analysis and Risk Management

Ms Hannah Monica Dias

Cross Cutting Lead, Multisectoral engagement and accountability, WHO Flagship Initiative to end TB, Public-Private Mix and TB Elimination

Ms Karina Halle

Cross Cutting Specialist, Enhanced TB Collaboration for Country Impact in High TB Burden Countries

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Overview

Reaching all people suffering from tuberculosis (TB) is a critical step towards ending TB globally. Despite being largely curable and preventable, TB is still one of the top infectious killers worldwide. In 2019, an estimated 2.9 million of the 10 million people who fell ill with TB were never diagnosed or reported to the World Health Organization. Additionally, many with TB are delayed in seeking care or misdiagnosed before starting treatment.

The Political Declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2018 commits to diagnose and treat 40 million people with TB by 2022, therefore there is an urgent need to deploy strategies to improve diagnosis and care for people with TB who are currently being missed. A key strategy is systematic screening for TB disease among, which is a central component of the first pillar of the End TB Strategy.

WHO is supporting countries by providing updated evidence-based recommendations and implementation aids, including screening algorithms and web-based tools, to help countries conduct strategic TB screening interventions to find all people with TB. Screening for TB disease should also be coupled with the provision of TB preventive treatment to people at risk of developing TB disease.