In the relentless battle against infectious diseases, tuberculosis emerges as a formidable adversary, ranking among the deadliest, claiming countless lives each year, as stated by the World Health Organization WHO. Beyond its medical dimensions, tuberculosis transcends into a blatant infringement of human rights, amplifying its impact on vulnerable communities entrenched in poverty. The stark reality underscores a poignant truth – equitable access to top-tier TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care hinges on championing human rights. This blog ventures into the imperative of adopting a human rights-centric strategy in the pursuit of the triumphant elimination of tuberculosis.
Image Reference: https://findtbresources.cdc.gov/view?id=353397
The Nairobi Strategy on TB and Human Rights
As part of the Global Plan’s implementation, the TB and Human Rights Consortium, which includes the Stop TB Partnership, University of Chicago Law School International Human Rights Clinic, and KELIN (Kenya), has initiated an inclusive process to promote the adoption of the Nairobi Strategy on TB and Human Rights. This strategy, led by people with TB, TB survivors, and their allies, is founded on several key objectives:
Support Communities:
It aims to strengthen networks of TB-affected communities, TB survivors, and civil society at all levels, from local to global.
Increase Awareness:
It aims to raise knowledge among the judiciary and legal communities regarding human rights-based approaches to tuberculosis.
Policy Integration:
It aims to increase legislators’ and policymakers’ capacity to include human rights-based approaches into TB-related laws and policies.
Engage International Bodies:
The plan aims to engage and advise international organizations and experts on how to include a human rights-based approach to tuberculosis (TB) into global policies and programs.
Sensitize Healthcare Workers:
It aims to raise awareness among healthcare personnel in both the public and private sectors of the need of incorporating human rights-based methods into their TB-related work.
Research:
The strategy emphasizes the importance of qualitative and quantitative research in order to develop data demonstrating the efficacy of a human rights-based approach to tuberculosis treatment.
Overcoming Human Rights-Related Barriers
Human rights-related barriers to TB services include stigma and discrimination, poverty, inadequate housing, criminalization of key affected populations, lack of workplace protections, gender-related subordination, and more. Recognizing and addressing these barriers is essential for achieving global and national goals to end TB.
Image Reference: https://www.hhrguide.org/2014/03/08/585/
Principles of a Human Rights-Based Approach to TB
Building on the UN Common Understanding on a Human Rights-based Approach, a human rights-based approach to TB is guided by several core principles:
Empowerment:
Placing individuals and affected communities at the center, empowering them as equal partners in driving health policy.
Vulnerability Reduction:
Identifying, informing, and empowering the most marginalized, at-risk, and vulnerable populations to access TB prevention, treatment, and care.
Dignity and Respect:
Ensuring the dignity of patients and those affected by TB.
Addressing Determinants:
Addressing the socio-economic determinants of TB.
Policy and Program Evaluation:
Evaluating the human rights implications of TB policies and programs.
Capacity Building:
Overcoming institutional constraints and capacity gaps that hinder individuals and groups from realizing their rights related to TB.
Integration:
Integrating human rights as an integral dimension in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of TB-related policies and programs.
Accountability:
Providing accountability tools for governments, the international community, and civil society to monitor progress in realizing the right to health.
Best Practices Sharing:
Offering a platform for documenting and sharing best practices, supporting advocacy, and mobilizing social awareness about human rights relevant to TB.
In summation, embracing a human rights-oriented approach for tackling tuberculosis not only finds its roots in global treaties but stands as an imperative for fostering universal access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. The safeguarding of human rights amid TB’s grip serves as the catalyst for sustainable interventions, promising enhanced outcomes, and a collective alleviation of the global burden imposed by this formidable disease. Now, more than ever, the call echoes for unity in the fight against TB – transcending the boundaries of mere medical combat and evolving into an unyielding commitment to the preservation of human rights.
References:
https://stoptb.org/assets/documents/global/hrtf/briefing%20note%20on%20tb%20and%20human%20rights.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5070676/
https://www.theglobalfund.org/media/7783/tb_2018-09-24-tuberculosisandhumanrights_paper_en.pdf