For over two decades, Aurum, as an African-led organisation, has been at the forefront of the TB response, driving research and innovation, and supporting implementation of programmes to improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable.
Earlier this month, the Aurum Institute received a termination notice for the Accelerate 1 programme, a vital USAID-funded initiative that has been instrumental in providing TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services to thousands of people, particularly in South Africa, which carries the world's heaviest TB burden. We were instructed to immediately cease all activities and terminate all sub-awards and contracts associated with this programme.
TB remains the leading cause of death in South Africa, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including people living with HIV. The loss of Accelerate 1 will disrupt critical service delivery, delay the scale-up of life-saving innovations, and weaken health system capacity at a time when urgent action is needed to end TB as a public health threat.
The termination of such programmes is a significant setback in the global fight against TB, coming at a time when bold leadership and sustained investment are critical. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that TB kills 1.3 million people annually. There had been significant advances in recent years, but a disruption in USAID-funded programs will reverse progress, increasing deaths, especially among vulnerable populations like HIV-co-infected individuals.
Many of the programmes that were US-funded under the TB-LON initiatives were screening and testing for TB and were focussed on reducing the number of people with undiagnosed TB who are living in communities and continue to spread the infection and have a higher risk of death. Moreover, uncontrolled TB, particularly drug-resistant strains, poses a global health security risk.
Despite this challenge, The Aurum Institute remains resolute. We will not retreat from our mission. We call on global health funders, African governments, and the international community to step up and reaffirm their commitment to ending TB. Now more than ever, we must mobilize resources, accelerate research and innovation, and invest in African-led solutions that will bring an end to this epidemic.
The Aurum Institute stands ready to work with partners to ensure that we continue to push the boundaries of science, advocate for sustained investment, and deliver impact where it is needed most. On this World TB Day, let this be a call to action: The world cannot afford to turn its back on TB. We must act with urgency, invest in solutions that work, and ensure that no one is left behind.
