What are the health needs and challenges?

Tuberculosis (TB), often thought of as a disease of the past, continues to plague the world’s most vulnerable populations. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there are around 9 million new cases of TB globally each year and about 1.5 million deaths. Drug-resistant cases of TB continue to grow, and it is estimated about 480,000 people currently have multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). WHO reports that in the 27 highest burden countries, on average, drug-resistance accounts for 21% of retreated TB cases.

Partnership activities and how they address needs and challenges

With a majority of cases occurring in China, India, Russia, and South Africa, the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership brings together government leaders, global health organizations, country-level healthcare providers, community and advocacy organizations and other stakeholders in these countries. Lilly focuses on two immediate and critical needs: improved and expanded training and support of healthcare providers, and adequate supply and access to quality-assured MDR-TB medicines. Lilly’s work involves piloting new models of care and healthcare provider training that, if proven to be effective, can be replicated in other communities. To address longer-term needs, Lilly also works with global and national partners to discover new medicines to treat MDR-TB.

The operational framework includes three components:

• Research: Pilot new approaches to improve access to care and collect rigorous outcomes data
• Report: Transparently share data about what works – and what doesn’t – with governments, health experts, and others working in global health
• Advocate: Use evidence from our pilot projects to advocate for scale up of proven, cost-effective solutions for maximum benefit to people.

The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership is supported by the Lilly Foundation and United Way Worldwide.

Corresponding principle in Declaration by the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Diagnostics Industries on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

As part of the WHO Global Action Plan’s proposal for a comprehensive program of sanitation, hygiene, vaccination, infection control, education, and stewardship, we support mechanisms to ensure affordable access to new and existing antibiotics to the patients who need them, in all parts of the world and at all levels of income.

Read full Declaration by the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Diagnostics Industries on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)