Guidance on engagement of communities and civil society to end tuberculosis

The importance of community and civil society engagement to end TB has been highlighted in various strategies and global commitments. The WHO End TB Strategy, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizes the role of communities and civil society in ending the TB epidemic by 2030. Furthermore, the political declaration of the 2023 United Nations High-level Meeting on TB highlights the need to ensure people-centred health services, with meaningful engagement of communities in the full spectrum of TB response.

This guidance was developed in in collaboration with civil society and other partners, in order to further strengthen engagement and leverage capacities of communities and civil society in line with the End TB Strategy. The guidance emphasizes the complementarity of health systems and community systems; the key roles that people affected by TB should play in planning, decision-making, implementation and monitoring; and the role of ministries of health and their NTPs. It underlines the importance of fair, sustainable financing and of a policy environment for community and civil society engagement. Its purpose is to provide guidance for communities and for all stakeholders in the health system for working together to end TB and strengthening people-centred care. Stakeholders in national TB responses include ministries of health, other government ministries, the private sector, civil society and affected communities, academic and research institutions, and technical and funding partners.