Strengthening DR-TB care in South East Asia and African Region
Every year around half a million people develop Rifampicin Resistant/Multidrug Resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB). Today, RR/MDR-TB is a massive public health and societal burden. At KNCV we are leading initiatives to uptake the latest WHO Guidelines on DR-TB management with shorter, safer, all-oral and more effective DR-TB treatment.
According to the WHO Global TB Report, 825,000 people were treated for rifampicin resistant/multidrug resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) between 2018 and 2022, a figure that only represented 55% of the target set for that period. As innovations emerge to tackle this challenge, it is essential that communities, advocates, civil society organizations (CSOs) and experts stay informed and equipped to benefit from these resources effectively. Within the Unitaid funded ASCENT DR-TB project, we work through coordination to share best practices to hasten the global, regional, and project-country adoption of novel RR/MDR-TB regimens.
See below the latest updates on ASCENT DR-TB as of July 2025:
ASCENT DR-TB Project launched in the Philippines in collaboration with the Department of Health
KNCV TB Plus launched the initiation of the Unitaid-funded ASCENT DR-TB Project in the Philippines in collaboration with the National TB Program (NTP), Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) of the Department of Health (DOH) last June 17, 2025 at The Manila Grand Opera Hotel. The event was attended by partners and interest-holders from the National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL), Philippines Coalition against TB (PhilCAT), National Capital Region, National TB Medical Advisory Committee, Philippines Business for Social Progress and civil society groups (TB Heals, TB People Philippines and Samahang Lusog Baga).
The First Meeting of the Task Force on DR-TPT
On July 10, 2025, the Task Force on Drug-Resistant TB Preventive Treatment (DR-TPT) convened by the National TB Control Program of the Department of Health of the Philippines together with KNCV TB Plus, held its first meeting to prepare the interim country guidelines for the implementation of DR-TPT in the Philippines.
KNCV Ethiopia trains Health Care Professionals to Enhance Community-Based DR-TB Care in South Ethiopia
In a significant step towards combating drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) through strengthening of the DR-TB service delivery, a two-days comprehensive training (per zone) was concluded from May 5 – 8, 2025 for health care workers (HCWs) from the Gedeo and Gofa Zones of the South Ethiopia Region. Jointly organized by the South Ethiopia Regional Health Bureau (RHB) and KNCV Ethiopia, this training sessions aimed to strengthen knowledge and foster community health extension worker (HEW)’s involvement in managing DR-TB, particularly through services delivered at local health posts.
Check out the newly released Global Fund TB Quarterly Update on Innovations (July 2025 edition).
We're proud to see the activities under the Unitaid-funded, KNCV-led ASCENT DR-TB project featured prominently highlighting our continued leadership in advancing person-centred care for DR-TB uptaking the latest WHO guidelines on DR-TB management.
