Seminar on the global challenge of drug-resistant TB held in Moscow

The Embassy of the Netherlands hosted a seminar on the global challenge of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) on 21 September 2017, in Moscow, the Russian Federation. The objective of the event was to discuss preparations for the Global Ministerial Conference “Ending tuberculosis in the Sustainable Development Goals era: A multi-sectoral response”, which will take place on 16–17 November 2017.

The seminar was co-organized by WHO; the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands; and the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation.

The event, moderated by WHO Representative to the Russian Federation, Dr Melita Vujnovic, highlighted the urgency and opportunities in addressing drug-resistant TB and TB/HIV coinfection, positioning TB within the broader antimicrobial resistance agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Key speakers at the seminar included the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Renee Jones-Bos; the Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, Dr Dmitry Kostennikov; and the Deputy Director of the Department of Organization of Medical Care and Sanatorium Resorts, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Dr Teresa Kasaeva. All underlined the importance of multisectoral approaches.

The Director of the WHO Global TB Programme, Dr Mario Raviglione and WHO/Europe Coordinator for Communicable Diseases, Dr Masoud Dara presented progress and challenges in TB and TB/HIV coinfection prevention and care, from both the global and regional perspectives. WHO speakers highlighted the importance of the Global Ministerial Conference in setting the stage for the first UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on TB in 2018.

The event was attended by more than 50 representatives of ministries of the Russian Federation, diplomatic missions, public health institutions, academia, civil society and nongovernmental organizations.