TB Key Populations and the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment: Why Key Populations Need a Fully Funded Global Fund and Why the Global Fund Needs Fully Engaged TB Communities

The purpose of this report is to highlight the important work being done by the Global Fund to address the specific needs faced by key populations around the world who are disproportionately affected by TB, and how we risk losing the immense strides we have made against the disease if we do not fully fund the Global Fund.

Each year, approximately 10.4 million people develop active TB disease. About 4 million (40%) of them go undetected or unreported. Many of the “missing 4 million” are among key, vulnerable or underserved populations. These key populations include prisoners, mineworkers, people living with HIV (PLHIV), healthcare workers, children, displaced people, migrants, ethnic minorities, indigenous populations, the urban poor, the elderly, and people who use drugs. Key Populations are confronted by social, legal and economic disparities that contribute to neglect by health systems and result in poor health outcomes. 

“The project supported by the Global Fund has had a substantial impact on my constituency
of mineworkers and ex-mineworkers and their families. The grant enabled us to establish
Occupatonal Health Service Centers (OHSC), which reduce travelling costs for ex-miners to seek
treatment and care. It also allows us to provide information regarding access to health care and
social protection to ex-miners and families at the country level.”
Moises Uamusse, AMIMO, Mozambique