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2019 TB Caucus Report AUSTRALIAN TB CAUCUS 2019 ANNUAL REPORT PREPARED BY RESULTS AUSTRALIA ABOUT AUSTRALIAN TB CAUCUS Launched in March 2016, the Australian TB Caucus (ATBC) is a bipartisan parliamentary group committed to ending tuberculosis. The Australian TB Caucus is currently Co-Chaired by the Hon. Warren Entsch, MP and the Hon. Sharon Claydon, MP. The ATBC is formally registered with the Presiding Officers as the Parliamentary Friends of Tuberculosis Group. RESULTWS WInWter. nRaEtiSoUnaLlT (AS u. OstRraGli.aA) Uis t h| e 9s0ec1r,e t1a0ri0at WofA thL eK TEBR C SauTc, u Ns. O R T H S Y D N E Y | A U S T R A L I A N T B C A U C U S P A G E 1 MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIRS 2019 has been an extraordinary year for TB advocacy in Australia and internationally. We saw the Global Fund to Fight AIDS TB and Malaria achieve its target to raise US$ 14 billion for 2020 to 2022. Australia pledged $242 million, which was an increase to our last replenishment contribution of $220 million for 2017 to 2019. Global TB research funding totaled US$906 million in 2018, an increase of $134 million from 2017. In Australia, TB received additional funding for detection, treatment, research and development. The Minister for Health announced $13 million to help support global efforts in eradicating tuberculosis, which includes $5 million to support intensive TB detection and treatment under Australia’s Health Security Initiative for the Indo-Pacific region and $8 million through the Medical Research Future Fund to fund anti-microbial resistance and drug- resistant TB research projects. As co-chairs of the Australian TB Caucus, we acknowledge with gratitude the support from MPs and Senators in parliament, especially our TB Caucus members who ensured that TB was a priority of the government, and raised awareness and gained attention to the issue in a bipartisan way. The successes of 2019 have been a result of our collective efforts and this annual report is a highlight of some of the advocacy efforts carried out by the Caucus. We are very thankful to RESULTS International Australia, the secretariat of the Australian TB Caucus, for all their hard work. We also acknowledge the support from international partners including the Global TB Caucus for sharing advocacy examples of Australian parliamentarians. Having said that, we reiterate that our job is not over yet. We need a sustained and expanded effort from governments, multilateral agencies and researchers before we can confidently say that we have eliminated TB. We encourage all our parliamentary colleagues to continue their support, and request Members and Senators to join the Australian TB Caucus if they are not already a member. We hope you will enjoy reading this report and will be happy to receive your input and suggestions on how we can do better to ensure Australia plays a leadership role in ending tuberculosis in our country, in the region, and globally. Sincerely, Hon Warren Entsch, MP Hon Sharon Claydon, MP Co- Chair, Australian TB Caucus Co- Chair, Australian TB Caucus A U S T R A L I A N T B C A U C U S P A G E 2 A C H I E V E M E N T S $242 MILLION TO THE GLOBAL FUND TO SAVE ADDITIONAL 16 MILLION LIVES On 10 Oct 2019 the Hon Warren Entsch, MP on behalf of the Australian Government, announced a new pledge of $242 million to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the next three years. This is a 10% per cent increase from Australia's previous pledge ($ 220 million). Australia is the 12th largest donor to the global fund. The advocacy in support of the Global Fund started well in advance. Australian TB Caucus co-chairs and honourable members wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and to Foreign Minister Marise Payne recommending a substantial increase in our pledge. Several TB Caucus members discussed the motion in the both the houses of federal parliament $ 1 3 M I L L I O N T O C O M B A T T U B E R C U L O S I S I N O U R R E G I O N The Australian Government announced a $13 million commitment to help support global efforts in eradicating tuberculosis. TB is the world’s most common cause of death from a single infectious disease, and the tenth most common cause of death worldwide. The Government will provide $5 million to support intensive TB detection and treatment under Australia’s Health Security Initiative for the Indo-Pacific region. Through the Medical Research Future Fund the Government will also provide $8 million to fund anti-microbial resistance and drug-resistant TB research projects. A U S T R A L I A N T B C A U C U S P A G E 3 W O R L D T B D A Y , 2 4 M A R C H SYDNEY TB EVENT RESULTS Australia, the secretariat of the TB Caucus, hosted an event in Sydney at the Centenary Institute on Wednesday 20 March 2019. Over 70 people joined RESULTS Australia for a panel discussion about tuberculosis and had the opportunity to meet researchers, medical experts and a tuberculosis survivor and find out more generally about the disease. Former Senator Lisa Singh addressing the gathering in her capacity as the co-chair of the TB Caucus in 2019 The event was hosted by Murray Olds, Veteran ABC and 2UE News Reporter and Journalist. He brought much compassion and a strong human element to the event as did the other speakers, Amelia Christie, CEO of RESULTS Australia, former Senator Lisa Singh, former Co-Chair of the Australian TB Caucus, Timothy (name changed) a TB Survivor and Dr Gabriella Scandurra of the Australian TB Forum. A panel discussion was held with pertinent questions asked about Australia’s commitment to ending the global TB epidemic; whether there would be an increase in funding to prevent the disease, and how well prepared Australia is to reduce TB cases and deaths in Australia; and the steps being taken to meet the UN High-Level Meeting targets. Panelists Mr Robin Davies – Head of Centre Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, DFAT Dr Anna Colwell – Medical Advisor, Australian Dept. of Health Dr Vicky Sheppeard – Director Communicable Disease Branch, NSW Dept. of Health Dr Warwick Britton – Head of TB Centre for Research Excellence Dr Suman Majumdar – Deputy Program Director, Burnet Institute M E D I A C O V E R A G E Devex article on TB rates in Australia, by journalist, Lisa Cornish published on 25 March 2019. Letter to the Editor ‘The Mercury’ in Hobart, Michael Picone RESULTS volunteer . House of Wellness program on Radio 2GB, discussed TB on 24 March 2019. ABC Pacific Mornings looked at TB rates in Papua New Guinea and spoke to Doctor Suman Majumdar of the Burnet Institute and Timothy an Australian TB Survivor living in Brisbane on 22 March 2019. ABC Statewide Mornings radio program interview with Associate Professor Justin Denholm on latent TB in Australia on 21 March 2019. Online article featured on Croakey concerning latent TB rates in Australia. A U S T R A L I A N T B C A U C U S P A G E 4 A U S T R A L I A N L A N D M A R K S L I T R E D I N H O N O U R O F W O R L D T B D A Y Last year councils from 11 major cities and towns across Australia joined the Global Light Up Red for TB campaign on World TB Day 24 March. Sydney Town Hall, Melbourne Town Hall, Brisbane City Hall, Newcastle City Clock- Tower, Adelaide Town Hall, Launceston Town Hall, Trafalgar Bridge in Perth, Darwin Convention Centre and key landmarks in Cairns, Logan City and Tasmania joined the global movement to ‘Light Up the World for TB’ on 24 March. These prestigious landmarks were lit up in red to show their commitment towards ending tuberculosis (TB) globally. TB Caucus parliamentarians wrote to their respective mayors in the councils requesting them to join the campaign. Former Senator Lisa Singh with Hobart volunteers at the light up location S O C I A L M E D I A C A M P A I G N O N T B Using social media, we encouraged parliamentarians, volunteers and the general public to make a social media pledge to support the eradication of TB and post photos to their social media accounts, to help spread the word about TB. T H E G L O B A L F U N D Face to face 26 MPs supported 18 Australian TB meeting with Caucus MP's 18 P a r l i a m e n t a r y MPs letter to 2 m o t i o n the PM p a s s e d Civil society Op-ed and 21 organizations 4 Letters to the wrote to the Editor Prime Minister published 2 4 2 M I L L I O N P L E D G E D A U S T R A L I A N T B C A U C U S P A G E 6 2020 ADVOCACY DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF THE UN HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON TB Au stralia needs a plan to meet the targets of UN High-Level meeting on TB TB FUNDING The world needs US$ 13 billion funding every year to fight TB $ 13 BILLION $ 2 BILLION to implement TB program for TB research and development RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Invest in TB research and development to meet the target to spend 0.1% of annual R&D expenditure.
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