ARC working to Eliminate TB in the Pacific

The Morrison government is providing $8.3 million for research projects to help tackle the threat of drug resistant tuberculosis (DR TB) and antimicrobial resistance among our near neighbours in the Pacific Islands. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says the research has the potential to save thousands of lives in the Pacific and around the world. "The World Health Organisation estimates around 10 million people each year fall sick with TB, with nearly 60 per cent of new cases each year occurring in the Indo-Pacific region," Minister Hunt said in a statement on the 27th June, 2020.

The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant strains of TB is a major concern globally. Within the Pacific, TB hotspots such as Kiribati pose a particular challenge and threat. The incidence of TB in Kiribati is amongst the highest globally, when combined with population density and ongoing transmission of the disease, there is the potential for amplification of TB and DR TB.

Funding of $4.25 million has been awarded for research being led by Professor Ben Marais from the University of Sydney. Professor Marais will work with ARC and a team of translation – oriented researchers over the next four years to mitigate the threat posed by DR TB in the Pacific. The study, proposes an integrated body of work that will provide a pathway towards DR-TB prevention and TB elimination in the Pacific through enhancing knowledge and testing new strategies to combat DR-TB in Kiribati. The project will strengthen collaborative partnerships and regional Health Security by reducing the threat of DR-TB in the Pacific and play a catalytic role in future regional TB elimination efforts. The study team will work closely with the Kiribati National TB Program and Ministry of Health in implementing the study over the next four years.

The ARC is pleased to be an implementation partner leading work on education and training, providing technical support for the in-country screening activities and the development of a regional network to support capacity building across the pacific. ARC’s engagement in the study, as an implementation partner represents an extension of work and investment in the Pacific over the past decade and an exciting new direction for the organisation.

Link to the media release: https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/vital-australian-research-projects-to-fight-antimicrobial-resistance-and-tb-in-the-pacific

Corona Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can make humans and animals sick. Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, it’s important that people practice respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene and social distancing. We can all help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Australia. To protect others you must:

• practise good hygiene 
• practise social distancing
• follow the limits for public gatherings
• understand how to self-isolate if you need to.

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments. ARC will continue to provide links to information for people to access and keep up to date. For further information please see the following links:

https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
https://www.theunion.org/news-centre/covid-19
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Building Capacity of the Australian TB Nursing Workforce

To support TB elimination efforts in Australia, ARC has been working in partnership with Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery and the National TB Program stakeholders to develop the Graduate Diploma/Masters in Nursing (TB Management). The course, the first of its kind internationally, represents a significant educational opportunity for developing nursing workforce capacity within the Australian TB Program. The ARC is committed to supporting the Australian TB Program through the development of specialist nurses. To support future students ARC is initiating a scholarship program to award up to three scholarships each year to enable nurses to undertake the speciality units within the Graduate Diploma/Masters in Nursing (TB Management).

The scholarships have been named in honour of Sheila Simpson OAM, in recognition of the outstanding contribution Sheila has made to the work of ARC, her clinical leadership and mentoring of the nursing workforce within the speciality area of TB, over four and a half decades. Throughout her career, Sheila has tirelessly provided care and treatment services in a number of roles for people with respiratory illness and TB. Sheila was employed as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in the speciality area of TB for 31 years, retiring in 2018. Sheila through her expert knowledge is seen as a clinical leader in the care and management of people with TB. In 2020, Sheila was awarded an OAM for “services to nursing”.

Please see the link to the selection criteria and application form for the scholarships.

For further information please contact Amanda Christensen AM, Executive Director of ARC on 02 9223 3166 or amandachristensen@thearc.org.au.

For further information on the Western Sydney University Post Graduate/Masters of Nursing (TB Management)

For information on the course please contact the Academic Course Advisor, Dr Linda Gregory: l.gregory@westernsydney.edu.au

For course and admission enquiries, please contact the course information line by phone: 1300 897 669 or email study@westernsydney.edu.au

Link to the Western Sydney University Masters of Nursing Handbook

Laboratory safety Global Edition 2019

The Laboratory Safety Handbook is an initiative of a Working Group of the Stop TB Partnership in collaboration with the Global Laboratory Initiative. The handbook has been developed to help reduce the risk of infection or injury, and protect the laboratory workforce and the wider community against unintentional exposures or releases of pathogenic biological agents. This handbook provides practical information and clear illustrations to assist laboratory staff in understanding the important safety issues related to the processing and management of samples potentially containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

On World TB Day this year we think about those also affected by COVID - 19

The ARC in conjunction with the global TB community stands in solidarity with the people affected by COVID-19. This World TB Day we support the fight against the new pandemic, share our lessons, experiences and tools so that united we can defeat both pandemics. We want to remind global leaders of the urgency to invest in better and more resilient health systems, today more than ever we realise the need to end TB and COVID-19.

STOP TB Partnership Message

To #FightCOVID19, we can use the tools needed to #EndTB: infection control, artificial intelligence, x-rays, contact tracing, telemedicine and psycho-social support.
We at @StopTB call on global leaders to join forces to protect people affected by TB and especially vulnerable populations from #COVID19. It’s time to ensure we #LeaveNooneBehind.
Years of under-investment made #tuberculosis and its drug resistant forms the biggest infectious disease killer with over 4000 deaths per day. We can’t afford to repeat these mistakes and be unprepared for pandemics like #COVID19.
Most TB survivors have gone through the isolation, fear, discrimination and stigma that we are facing with #COVID19. Let’s hear their voices and learn resilience from them. #ItsTimeToEndTB.
Healthcare workers are at the centre of the fight against diseases such as #tuberculosis or #COVID19. We at @StopTB applaud their efforts and call on the TB community to show their support! #ItsTimeToEndTB.
It’s time to recognize that people with #TB are vulnerable to #COVID19, including prisoners, migrants, people living with #HIV, those who are malnourished, living in poverty & others, and ensure access to TB diagnostics, treatment, care and support.

Read More:

http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2020/covid.asp
https://www.who.int/news-room/campaigns/world-tb-day/world-tb-day-2019
https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

THE TB RESEARCH FUNDING TRENDS 2005 - 2018 REPORT IS PUBLISHED

The latest report from the Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the Stop TB Partnership, on global funding trends for TB research and development (R&D), presents new data on TB R&D funding in 2018 and analyzes trends in funding since 2005.

The report—Tuberculosis Research Funding Trends, 2005–2018—is a critical accountability tool and serves as a barometer of progress in raising support for the scientific innovation needed to eliminate TB.

Global TB research funding totaled US$906 million in fiscal year 2018, an increase of $134 million from 2017. This is the highest level of funding ever recorded by TAG. TB scientists and their advocates should feel encouraged by three back-to-back years of increasing investments from 2016 to 2018. However, the 2018 funding figure still falls more than half-way short of the US$2 billion annual target set at 2018’s United Nations High Level Meeting on TB.

“The US$134 million increase in TB research funding is cause for celebration and shows that the tireless efforts of TB partners around the world are getting results,” said Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership. “But this still leaves us short of the US$2 billion annual funding figure endorsed at the UN High-Level Meeting. Because we're off track, we'll now need to spend more each year to make up the deficit. We can’t afford to coast on recent momentum if we are serious about ending TB—it’s time to put our money where our mouths are”.

Launch of the updated Global Plan to End TB: 2018-2022; from L-R: Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Suvanand Sahu, Deputy Executive Director, The Stop TB Partnership, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, MoH Brazil and Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Board, Paula Fujiwara, Scientific Director, The Union

THE UPDATED GLOBAL PLAN TO END TB 2018 – 2022 IS LAUNCHED

Geneva/Jakarta. 10 December 2019 —The Stop TB Partnership today launched the updated Global Plan to End TB 2018-2022, which calls for 2.6 billion USD per year for vital research and development of new tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic tools, new drug regimens and a new vaccine, and 13 billion USD per year for TB care and prevention.

If the updated Global Plan is fully funded and implemented, countries will reach UNHLM on TB treatment targets set for 2022, including putting 40 million people on treatment for TB, including 3.5 million children and 1.5 million people with drug-resistant TB. This will lead to 1.5 million fewer deaths due to TB, and the return on investment will be 44 USD for 1 USD spent. On the other hand, a five-year delay in increasing funding for TB research and development would lead to approximately 2 million more people dying and an additional 13.9 million people developing TB.

"The coming three years, up to 2022, will be important for the TB Community at large. This is when we make it or break it. The good news is that we have what is needed to make it, including country targets as shares of the UNHLM TB targets. As incoming chairperson of the Stop TB Board, I will do my best to have this plan implemented, executed & funded." Dr Luiz Mandetta, Brazil Minister of Health and Chairperson of the Stop TB Partnership Board.

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