Sixty-fifth Regional Committee for Europe: Vilnius, 14–17 September 2015: resolution: tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020

W ORL D H E A LT H O RG A N I Z AT IO N R EG I ON A L O F F I C E FO R EU R O P E UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Telephone: +45 45 33 70 00 Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Email: governance@euro.who.int Web: http://www.euro.who.int/en/who-we-are/governance Regional Committee for Europe EUR/RC65/R6 65th session Vilnius, Lithuania, 14–17 September 2015 17 September 2015 150748 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Resolution Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 The Regional Committee, Having considered the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 (document EUR/RC65/17 Rev.1); Recognizing the importance of tackling tuberculosis within the framework of Health 2020,1 the WHO European policy framework, to improve the health and well- being of populations and to reduce health inequalities; Noting the commitment of the WHO European Region to respond urgently to the threat tuberculosis poses to public health and among those Member States that participated, through the Berlin Declaration on Tuberculosis, adopted by the WHO European Ministerial Forum – All Against Tuberculosis in 2007, and the Eastern Partnership Ministerial Conference on Tuberculosis and Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis; and to end tuberculosis in the European Region through the Joint Riga Declaration on Tuberculosis and its Multidrug-resistance in 2015; Recalling World Health Assembly resolution WHA62.15 on prevention and control of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) 1 Health 2020: a European policy framework and strategy for the 21st century. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2013 (http://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/health-2020-a- european-policy-framework-and-strategy-for-the-21st-century, accessed 23 July 2015). EUR/RC65/R6 page 2 as part of the transition to universal health coverage, and the 2009 Beijing “Call for Action” on tuberculosis control and patient care; Recalling resolution EUR/RC61/R7, which adopted the Consolidated Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Multidrug- and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in the WHO European Region, 2011–2015 as a strategic framework for action by Member States in the European Region; Recalling resolutions EUR/RC61/R6 and WHA68.7 on antibiotic resistance as policies to prevent and mitigate antimicrobial resistance, which also contribute to the prevention and control of M/XDR-TB; Acknowledging that most of the milestones for Member States, the Secretariat and partners to scale up a comprehensive response to prevent and control tuberculosis and M/XDR-TB under the Consolidated Action Plan have been achieved, including significant increases in case detection and treatment coverage, and that Millennium Development Goal 6 on reversing tuberculosis incidence has been reached; Concerned that despite this progress, there is continuing primary transmission of MDR-TB and decreasing treatment success rates among M/XDR-TB patients in several Member States; Concerned over an increasing prevalence of HIV among tuberculosis cases and a growing inequality highlighted by the divergent epidemiological picture of tuberculosis across the Region and within countries, particularly among vulnerable groups, and aware that tuberculosis and MDR-TB are also cross-border health threats due to increased mobility of the population; Recognizing the need for increased political commitment to ensure efficient and evidence-based tuberculosis prevention and expanded access to new models of care, new drugs and tools, as well as social approaches and strategies for tuberculosis management in the context of health systems strengthening; EUR/RC65/R/6 page 3 Noting that the post-2015 global End TB Strategy for ending the global tuberculosis epidemic by 2035, endorsed by resolution WHA67.1, calls for regional support in the implementation of the Strategy; and acknowledging alignment of the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 with the global End TB Strategy; Understanding that this resolution covers the period from 2016–2020 and thereby succeeds resolution EUR/RC61/R7, which endorsed the Consolidated Action Plan from 2011–2015; 1. ADOPTS the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 and its targets; 2. URGES Member States:2 (a) to align, as appropriate, their national health strategies and/or national tuberculosis and M/XDR-TB response with the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 and to closely monitor and evaluate implementation as outlined in the action plan; (b) to facilitate equitable access to early diagnosis and effective treatment until completion for all forms of tuberculosis including rational and adequate use of new drugs; (c) to identify and address health systems challenges related to the prevention and care of all forms of tuberculosis, particularly to integrate tuberculosis services into the primary health care level and to scale-up patient-centred care initiatives and approaches and improve access to tuberculosis prevention and care for hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations; (d) to address social determinants of tuberculosis, the prevention of insurmountable costs to patients and their households due to tuberculosis, and the provision of social support to patients, including multisectoral and civil society collaboration as appropriate; 2 And regional economic integration organizations, where applicable EUR/RC65/R6 page 4 (e) to adopt sustainable financial mechanisms and strengthen human resources capacity for tuberculosis prevention and care, particularly in countries with decreasing external funding, and to move from external financing to self- financing: working with all relevant actors, including ministries of health and finance, parliaments, intergovernmental and non-State actors, to secure the long-term sustainability of programmes, including services for hard-to- reach and vulnerable populations, from domestic resources; 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to support Member States in the implementation of the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020 by providing leadership, strategic direction and technical support to Member States, upon request; (b) to continue working in partnership with international, intergovernmental and non-State actors; (c) to monitor implementation and report to the Regional Committee at its 68th and 70th sessions in 2018 and 2020, respectively, on implementation of the Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020. = = =