From December 11 to 13, 2024, the heads of the National Tuberculosis Programs (NTPs) of West and Central African countries were in Cotonou, Benin, for the now traditional annual meeting of regional TB control stakeholders. The meeting was organized by WARN/CARN-TB, with technical and financial support from WHO/TDR. It was attended by NTP representatives from the 27 countries in the region, as well as partners such as the Union, the Global Fund, Stop TB GDF and WHO/AFRO.
The meeting was an opportunity for participants to put the region’s progress into perspective, in relation to the global objectives of the WHO strategy to end tuberculosis, in order to identify areas for improvement and define strategies. Participants were briefed on the WHO’s new recommendations for the programmatic management of pediatric tuberculosis and the preventive treatment of tuberculosis, but also discussed the region’s main challenges, such as cross-border tuberculosis management, emergencies linked to drug stock-outs, the social protection of patients, and the role of digital technology in the fight against tuberculosis.
At the end of this important meeting, a 2025-2030 action plan was proposed to guide WARN/CARN-TB’s activities towards the regional objectives of eliminating tuberculosis in West and Central Africa. Implementation will begin in the coming months.