Change happens when gender inequality survivors join hands to stop TB

Before 2025 World TB Day I spent a day accompanying TB affected street activists (TASA) - women who help find more TB among homeless women and female migrant workers in urban poor localities of India’s capital Delhi and link those in need to public services.

AMR Dialogues | Connecting the dots: Substandard and falsified medical products & Antimicrobial Resistance

Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XqzdaacsSjugyPl_ft9VTA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), substandard and falsified medical products affect people all around the world. At least 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified.

#EndLeprosy pathway is through stopping stigma against affected persons

[हिंदी] Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is a chronic infectious disease caused by a slow growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. But stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy is propelled by us - human beings. This stigma is not only manmade, but is also unjustified, violates human rights and is a result of being blind to the fact that leprosy is curable.

[video] Gender equality is key to Africa's future

[video] Beijing+30 | No more waiting, deliver on the Beijing Declaration now | SHE & Rights

SHE & Rights | Beijing+30 | No more waiting, deliver on the Beijing Declaration now

 

Watch the recording

The fifth session of SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity & Rights) will be organised on the theme: "Beijing+30 | No more waiting, deliver on the Beijing Declaration now" in lead up to the upcoming 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) and International Women's Day.

With only 70 months left to end AIDS why is the urgency missing?

[watch the video] The global AIDS response is not only off-the-target but also slipping by leaps and bounds in some countries and for some communities.

Urgent and accelerated HIV service delivery with equity and rights is critical to end AIDS

[हिंदी] No one needs to get newly infected with HIV or die of AIDS-related illnesses because we have scientific evidence-based tools and proven approaches to prevent any further spread of infection or avert any untimely death due to AIDS. But despite this, over 1.3 million new people were diagnosed with HIV and 630,000 died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2023 globally.

[video] Gendered response to #endAIDS is key

[video] Urgent and accelerated HIV service delivery is key to #endAIDS

SDGs warrant breakthroughs not breakdowns in development financing

[हिंदी] Decisions of US President Trump have precipitated a funding crisis in  many low- and middle-income countries for health and development programmes, including lifesaving medicines and disease prevention and surveillance initiatives. But development financing was not in a good spot even before Trump’s election as US President for another term.

Right wing policies threaten gender equality and health security

Young people call for all sexual and reproductive health services including safe abortion rights 

Donald Trump’s presidency is likely to have far-reaching consequences for sexual and reproductive health, bodily autonomy and human rights worldwide. He has already withdrawn USA’s financial support to the UN health agency World Health Organization (WHO), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer share its invaluable expertise with the WHO. Also all ongoing (as well as future) projects funded by US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been put on immediate hold. Many of these are lifesaving health programmes, including those directly related to sexual and reproductive health services.

Nepal leads the world with largest pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products

Pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products are a proven and cost-effective way to prevent tobacco use among children and young people, encourage tobacco users to quit and increase awareness of deadly diseases caused by tobacco. That is why size and pictorial graphics matter because pictures say a thousand words. Nepal government decided this week to go for the largest pictorial health warnings globally on all tobacco products (100% on the front and 100% on the back packaging).

A world without leprosy is a public health and human rights imperative

Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease), once feared as an incurable disease, is now treatable with modern medicine. When diagnosed early and accurately, and treated early with right medicines, it is not disabling too. But leprosy-related stigma and discrimination continues to cause havoc in lives of people affected with leprosy and blocks access to care even today.

[video] People affected by leprosy demand a life with dignity and rights, without any stigma, discrimination

[video] Shantidan Leprosy Colony visit of WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Mr Yohei Sasakawa

[video] While bus tyre gets repaired, unstoppable MrYohei Sasakawa speaks with CNS on the roadside: #EndLeprosy

[video] Persons affected by Leprosy & WHO #EndLeprosy Goodwill Ambassador Sasakawa address a press conference

[video] Jagannath Leprosy Colony visit of WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Mr Yohei Sasakawa

[video] EXCLUSIVE: WHO Goodwill Ambassador Mr Yohei Sasakawa speaks with CNS

[video] Jaatni Leprosy Colony visit of WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Mr Yohei Sasakawa

[video] Press conference on launch of Global #EndLeprosy Appeal 2025

[video] Global Appeal 2025 launched to end stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy

[video] Maya Ranavare leader of India's network of leprosy-affected people calls to #EndLeprosy

[video] Sexual and reproductive health with equity and rights for the young people

Frontline healthcare workers dispelling darkness below the lamp

If we assume that a person who lives a few hundred metres away from one of the best TB clinics would have no problems in accessing services, then we could be in for a rude shock.

SHE & Rights | Sexual & reproductive health with equity & rights for the young people

Register for SHE & Rights session on 24th January

The fourth session of SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity and Rights) will be led by the young people on the theme: "Sexual and reproductive health with equity and rights for the young people."

Will the drive to find-treat-prevent TB continue till we end TB?

[End TB Dialogues | Podcast | हिंदी] Despite being the most populous district of Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh in India, Kangra has also led from the front in caring for largest number of people with TB in the state. Compared to the national average in India, Kangra offers TB tests to 3-4 times more people per 100,000 population.

[podcast] Reaching the unreached people with TB services in Kangra Dharamshala

First podcast of 2025 features Dr Rajesh Kumar Sood, District Programme Officer, National Health Mission and District TB Officer (National TB Elimination Programme) Kangra Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India. He is in conversation with CNS founder Managing Editor and Executive Director Shobha Shukla on the ongoing #100Days focussed campaign to #ReachTheUnreached people with best of TB diagnostics, treatment and prevention services in India.

Opening and closing instrumental piano music is played by a young feminist Ms Tara Shukla Iyer from UK.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, TuneIn, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, iVoox, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[video] Kangra Dharamshala intensifies actions to reach the unreached with TB services

India shifting gears to get on the right track to #endTB

[हिंदी] India with the highest TB burden globally has made a drastic shift recently to reach the unreached people with free TB services. Indian government has launched a 100 days focussed campaign (7 December 2024 to 24 March 2025) to intensify progress to #endTB through improved case detection, reduction in diagnostic delays, and enhanced treatment outcomes across 347 most affected districts in 33 states of the country.