TB Alert are pleased to announce the launch of a ground breaking new technical manual on tuberculosis (TB) psychosocial support for healthcare workers, government and non-government organization employees, programme managers and peer workers . The pioneering guide addresses critical gaps in TB care and control by focusing on overcoming the psychological, social and economic factors that prevent people from accessing diagnosis, adhering to care plans and successfully completing treatment. The guide is co-authored by TB Alert’s International Programme Director Sameer Sah and Dr Gi ..read more

People affected by TB may have particular concerns about the new coronavirus that is currently circulating around the world. To help reassure and advise, TB Alert has developed a Q&A on the relationship between the coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, and TB. You can find the Q&A here The post Information on TB and COVID-19 appeared first on TB Alert ..read more

Researchers at Kingston University are looking for former pulmonary TB patients to take part in a study examining the impact tuberculosis has on people’s lives. To take part, you need to : have had a pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis have completed treatment and no longer require further treatment be 25-45 years live in the UK You will be interviewed by phone or skype to find out how you coped with being ill and in what ways TB affected your life. Interviews will last approximately 60 minutes and you only need to answer questions that you are comfortable with. Your information will be kept anon ..read more

Are you interested in giving your opinion and advice on a study into the testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis? About the study RID-TB is a five year programme run by University College London (UCL) with funding from the National Institute for Health Research. The study will examine how best to test and treat latent TB and support patients during their treatment. To do this we need to understand people’s thoughts and experiences about latent TB, and about being tested and treated for it. UCL is working with TB Alert, the UK’s national TB charity, to ensure the research reflects the view ..read more

Are you interested in giving your opinion and advice on a study into the testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis? TB Alert and University College London (UCL) are recruiting a PPI Group to provide their insights to the RID-TB research programme. RID-TB is a five-year programme run by University College London (UCL) with funding from the National Institute for Health Research. The study will examine how best to test and treat latent TB and support patients during their treatment. To do this we are looking for people who have experience of latent TB testing and treatment to contribute their ..read more

The staff and Trustees of TB Alert were deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of our Vice President, Kenneth Citron. Ken had a long and prestigious career as a Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine, during which he broke new ground in the treatment and care of tuberculosis. His lifelong commitment to addressing the scourge of TB was inspired by himself surviving the disease, which he developed early in his medical career, in the days before antibiotics. Ken’s many achievements include developing a respiratory medicine service in south-west London; chairing controlled clinical tr ..read more

On Saturday 29th June, the UK announced a new three-year funding pledge for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The pledge includes funding to provide TB treatment and care for 2.3 million people and provide 120,000 people with treatment for multidrug-resistant TB. International Development Secretary, Rory Stewart said: We’re deeply proud of our efforts with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, but far too many people still die from these diseases. We’re going to continue to invest in controlling and ultimately ending these diseases, and we will be mak ..read more

The latest reports on TB prevalence from Public Health England and The World Health Organization have shown a welcome reduction in rates of TB in England and globally. England is now a low-TB-incidence country for the first time ever, as rates of TB drop to the lowest recorded rate of 9.2 cases per 100,000 population in 2017. However, this still means that over 5,000 people fall ill with the disease in England each year. TB is also becoming ever-more associated with health inequality in England, as cases are now seven times higher among the most deprived 10% of the population than the least de ..read more

As part of the UK Academics and Professionals to End Tuberculosis group (UKAPTB), TB Alert has written to Theresa May urging her to head Britain’s delegation to the UN general assembly high-level meeting on ending TB next week. In the letter, the group says the intervention of world leaders is urgently needed to contain TB as the number of antibiotic-resistant cases continues to rise. TB Alert’s International Programmes Director, Sameer Sah, will be attending the event as part of the USAPTB delegation. Read more in The Observer The post Government involvement at the highest level is crucial to ..read more

This Sunday, in the TB Alert BBC Radio 4 Appeal, Felicity Kendal shares Rebecca’s story. Rebecca, who lives in rural Zimbabwe, feared for her life and her unborn baby’s future when she fell ill with the same symptoms that had killed her five sisters. You can listen to the appeal on the morning of Sunday 23rd September at 7:55 and in the evening at 21:26, or again on Thursday 27th September at 15:27. It will also be available here shortly after the first broadcast. You can support the appeal by visiting the BBC Radio 4 Appeal website from 23-29 September, or anytime through this JustGiving appe ..read more