The Stop TB Partnership is a network of more than 700 organizations and individuals from national governments to affected individuals, from major research and academic institutions to small communities-working together to reduce the toll of tuberculosis worldwide. The Partnership's vision is a world free of tuberculosis, with children born in this millennium seeing the disease eliminated in their lifetimes.

The partnership's mission is:

• To ensure that every person with tuberculosis has access to accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and cure
• To stop the transmission of tuberculosis
• To reduce the social and economic toll of tuberculosis
• To develop and implement new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies to stop tuberculosis

Since its creation in 1998, the Partnership has been an important catalytic force, inspiring countries to take action to achieve measurable improvements in their tuberculosis situations. From 2001 to 2006, worldwide deaths from tuberculosis decreased, more cases were detected, and more people were successfully treated. Funding for tuberculosis control, as well as for research and development for tuberculosis drugs, diagnostics and vaccines, has also increased hugely.

Building on these achievements, Stop TB partners are working toward the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015, a comprehensive assessment of the action and resources needed to further reduce the global burden of tuberculosis. It aims to cut tuberculosis infections and deaths in half by 2015 (compared to their 1990 levels), and ensure that 50 million people are treated for tuberculosis and additional 3 million people with HIV and tuberculosis are enrolled in antiretroviral therapy by 2015, saving an estimated 14 million lives.

The Partnership launched a Global Drug Facility in 2001 and also runs the Green Light Committee Initiative, which enables access to affordable, high-quality drugs for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Visit the Stop TB Partnership's home page