TB is the world’s leading infectious killer.

According to WHO, Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.

TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.

About one-third of the world’s population has latent TB, which means people have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit the disease.

People infected with TB bacteria have a 10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a much higher risk of falling ill.

When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others. People with active TB can infect 10–15 other people through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment, 45% of HIV-negative people with TB on average and nearly all HIV-positive people with TB will die.

Since its launch in 2017, ACT aims to address the gaps by bringing together civil society representatives (individuals, communities and organizations) from across the region in order to strengthen the role of civil society within the regional response to TB, and to increase the political and financial commitment required to effectively control the epidemic. With more than 250 members in 50 countries, ACT is increasingly recognized as the voice of TB-interested civil society across the WHO Africa Region.

ACT works to strengthen the advocacy capacity of civil society organizations and activists at regional, national and community level, and also coordinate and carry out evidence-based TB policy advocacy at regional and international level. ACT is presently developing a strategic plan which will be adopted by November 2018.

Funding 
ACT activities are funded via: 1) dedicated staff time by Afro Global Alliance based in Ghana, Stop TB Partnership Geneva, Global Fund and other support from EANNASO in Tanzania and ICHARGE in Ghana 
This webpage is the product of an activity that has received funding under an operating grant from the Global Fund.

The content of this webpage represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the Global Fund. The Global Fund do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.