World TB Day

Thursday 24 March 2021 is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day and this year's theme is ‘The Clock is Ticking’, highlighting the urgency with which we must step up and increase our efforts to find, treat and end one of one of the world’s leading infectious diseases, which globally kills around 4 000 people every day, among them 700 children. The campaign is aimed at encouraging people to undergo regular free testing and treatment of TB at the local clinic; starting and adhering to TB preventive treatment and active case finding in the community; and ensuring that everyone understands why the clock is ticking for TB. With just over one year left to fulfil the United Nations Political Declaration of TB by the agreed December 2022 deadline, time is passing quickly. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put End TB progress at risk, as well as our drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

People can show solidarity with people and families affected by TB by participating in this year’s ‘sound the alarm – the clock is ticking’ activities:

• Set their alarms to go off at noon every day during the week leading up to World TB Day (17 to 24 March);
• Sound the hooters of their vehicles (car, bus, minibus taxi, train, ship) at 8:00 every day during the week leading up to World TB Day;
• Trigger the sirens of emergency response vehicles;
• Ring the bell at places of worship;
• Say a special prayer at places of worship; and
• Light up local landmarks, especially town hall clocks, in red.