1 June 2023 – WHO’s regional tuberculosis (TB) programme is holding two back-to-back meetings on the latest updates on TB and drug-resistant TB case management and the 14th meeting of the Regional Green Light Committee (rGLC) in Cairo, Egypt, from 5 to 8 June. The aim is to support countries in the Region strengthen their health systems to deliver on condition- and disease-specific service coverage results and improve access to quality essential health services.

The intercountry meeting on the latest developments on TB and drug-resistant TB case management aims to provide support to countries in transitioning to new WHO-recommended treatments and ensuring effective management of TB and drug-resistant TB. Participants from the 22 countries and territories of the Region will be briefed on WHO recommendations for the management of drug-resistant TB, including considerations for the implementation of all-oral shorter regimens. They will receive updates on treatment of drug-susceptible TB, including prevention and management of childhood TB. In addition, countries will share their experiences in managing drug-susceptible TB and the most recent status of programmatic management of drug-resistant TB. As a result, the WHO team will support countries in planning for, and implementing, updated guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of both drug-resistant and drug-susceptible TB.

This meeting will be followed by the 14th meeting of the Regional Green Light Committee (rGLC), which will review progress on programmatic management of drug-resistant TB activities in the Region and agree on recommendations to address remaining challenges, as well as discuss practical actions to be taken to scale up management of drug-resistant TB in the Region. The rGLC 2023 workplan will be presented and countries will agree on actions to be prioritized.

The meetings will include managers from national TB programmes, partners and staff from WHO headquarters, Regional Office and country offices.

Given the most recent WHO guidelines on drug-susceptible TB, drug-resistant TB, management of TB in children and adolescents, TB prevention, and TB and co-morbidities, and to ensure country compliance with WHO policies and guidelines, these meetings aim to support countries get back on track to meet the goals and targets set out the End TB Strategy, guided by the regional TB Action Plan 2023–2030.