How can TB communities adapt to the evolving funding landscape amid changing leadership in the USA?
What a week this has been! On Monday 27th, a couple of hours before our first 2025 TBPPM event, we decided to postpone our TBPPM Forum talking about communities and providers. Disappointing the nearly 200 registered participants, it was an initial indication of what is now formally communicated by the Stop TB Partnership of a freeze Announcement on the Challenge Facility for Civil Society Round 13.
The changing leadership in the USA has an immediate impact on global health and development, and many colleagues are effected by the stop work orders (read more on the Trump effect, USA withdrawing from WHO). The TB community is well funded and resourced by USAID, WHO and Stop TB Partnership are major TB leaders effected, and many TB programs and projects around the world are now stuck, impacting millions of people with TB. To all who is currently feeling the uncertainty and dread – you are not alone! We are in this together!
As TBPPM community we have the care of people with TB closely in our focus. Despite the coming changes and likely austerity, we know we have strength and resilience to support TB patients and keep our local systems for people with TB in place. We were here just a few years ago! The TB community showed how resilient our programs weathered the COVID19 waves, and, the private sector was critical in sustaining TB services when public health systems were overwhelmed and public-private collaboration was essential in maintaining TB case detection and treatment (see Health and tuberculosis systems resilience, the role of the private sector and pandemic preparedness: insights from a cross-country qualitative study with policy-makers in India, Indonesia and Nigeria).
It is again up to us to be innovative and find local solutions to continue delivering TB care and support. A clear nudge towards South-led and sustainable TB financing. Can you link TB care with social protection schemes, health insurance or social safety nets to promote risk sharing and avoid high out-of-pocket costs for TB patients? How are your increasing efficiency in the supply chain, costs in procurement of commodities, and overall efficiency of your program? How are you involved in the planning and advocacy of the domestic health financing cycles, securing funding for TB? Are you bringing in all stakeholders (public-private) that might be able to continue TB services left in the void? (More to read in The intersection of TB and health financing: defining needs and opportunities)
As TBPPM community, we are bridge-builders between public and private sector, often calling for creative mechanisms. Your expertise and skills are in need. Times of change are here, and they are hard! We are in the middle of the x-curve, in the chaos of not-knowing, whether it will lead to innovation or break-down. As Albert Einstein said “in the midst of every crisis, lies an opportunity”.
Let’s Talk here – how can our community take this time of change forward?!