The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting a technical briefing to update countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia on efforts to accelerate access to new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines. The briefing, organized by the WHO headquarters and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, will focus on the role of these vaccines in preventing TB and the global pipeline for their development.
TB remains a significant global health crisis, having re-emerged as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, with 8.2 million new cases diagnosed and over 1.2 million deaths reported. This update underscores ongoing public health challenges and the need for new preventative measures.
The briefing will highlight opportunities for country collaboration and outline the next steps for strengthening preparedness, policy dialogue, and coordination to expedite the introduction of new TB vaccines in the region when they grow available for deployment. National TB and vaccination program managers, health ministry officials responsible for vaccine policy, planning, and introduction, members of national technical advisory groups on vaccination, as well as representatives from academia, civil society, national immunization organizations, and partner organizations are encouraged to participate.
The session will combine brief technical presentations and a moderated discussion. Registration is required to attend. English will be the working language, with simultaneous interpretation provided in Russian.
The WHO established the Council to Accelerate the Availability of TB Vaccines on January 17, 2023, recognizing the urgent need for coordinated mechanisms similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic to rapidly develop, manufacture, and deploy vaccines when political priorities, funding, and coordinated partnerships are in place. The findings could guide future vaccination strategies and improve global health security.
Countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia bear a disproportionate burden of TB disease, including the highest levels of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB globally. Regional preparedness for the introduction of new TB vaccines, once recommended by the WHO, should prioritize these countries where the impact of vaccination would be greatest. The WHO has emphasized the importance of supporting countries with the highest burdens and transmission rates, making them essential partners in regional collaboration, preparedness assessments, and vaccine introduction planning.
Existing tools, including the century-old Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, are insufficient to curb transmission, particularly among adolescents and adults. For more information and to register for the briefing, please leverage the link provided.
