The problem

Tuberculosis is the deadliest infectious disease, killing about 1.3 million people a year worldwide. Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) is a major threat to the TB response. In 2023, only 44% of the estimated 400,000 people with DR-TB were diagnosed and treated.

Early diagnosis is critical so that people can get started on treatment, avoid severe illness and reduce the spread of the disease. Recent developments have led to World Health Organization recommendations of DR-TB treatment regimens that allow for shorter, safer treatment of the disease. But access to effective testing and new treatments remains a challenge.

Our response

Through Accelerating regimens and care for DR-TB (arcTB) project, we work with communities to help identify DR-TB cases and to provide access to high-quality care using new WHO-recommended DR-TB drugs and treatment regimens. Building on the successes of recent Unitaid-funded initiatives, arcTB aims to improve the quality of care within national TB programs, with a focus on pregnant women and children, and will work with countries to drive demand and equitable access to novel DR-TB diagnostics and medicines – improving treatment outcomes and reducing transmission.

This project, led by Partners in Health (PIH) will work jointly with KELIN and the Stop TB Partnership through other Unitaid-funded initiatives as part of our unified approach to accelerate and promote the introduction of new DR-TB drugs and regimens.

The project will be implemented in Belarus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Pakistan, Peru and South Africa.