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An aid organisation says there's hope that tuberculosis cases could be reduced in the Pacific region after an increase in funding. The Australian government has committed $17 million to help develop more effective treatments for TB and help ensure they reach affected communities across the globe. The chief executive officer of Results International, Negaya Chorley says the disease is a big problem in some Pacific countries, such as Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Papua New Guinea. "PNG is what is known as a high TB-burden country, we see up to 30,000 cases a year, but what is especially concerning when it comes to PNG is there are very high rates of what is called multi-drug resistant TB," she said. Click here to listen to Results Australia CEO Negaya Chorley in conversation with Agnes Tupou for Pacific Beat- originally airing on 1 April, 2024.

This article on Light Up Red at Manly Town Hall was published on 2 April, 2024 in the Northern Beaches Advocate. TB campaigners were left disappointed when the Manly Town Hall failed to light up red as promised. Manly Town Hall at Belgrave Street, Manly, has lit up red for World Tuberculosis Day (24 March) since 2020, with former Mayor Michael Regan and current Mayor Sue Heins both attending previous events. This year, organiser Lili Koch (main image, second left) gathered once again with supporters of the campaign to raise awareness of tuberculosis (TB) on Sunday, 24 March, outside Manly Town Hall. Among those in attendance was former Manly MP and TB campaigner Dr Peter Macdonald OAM (main image, centre back), who has direct experience in the fight against the deadly disease. “Over the last 20 years, I’ve been working on and off with an aid organisation in Papua New Guinea [PNG]. So my experience with TB has been in PNG, which has got one of the highest incidences per capita in the world. “The incidence of TB is a proxy for the integrity of the health system. In other words, if the health system is not intact, as indeed it’s not in Papua New Guinea, TB is allowed to escape the normal controls that we have in other countries. “TB should be a fairly easy disease to treat. Because it’s a Mycobacterium, and with three or four medicines, over six months, you can cure it. But that means the patient and the health system have got to be committed to that protocol and to that regime,” said Dr Macdonald. “The Australian Government is very worried about TB coming down into the indigenous populations through the Torres Strait. Multiple drug resistant TB, which is that form of TB that has developed resistance to the usual medications, is increasing in the Western Province, which is the neighbouring border, so to speak, with Northern Australia. “TB is a fascinating infection. In effect, it behaves like a cancer. It spreads to parts of the body well distant from where it was originally contracted. Most TB comes into the chest through the respiratory system. But it can end up in the spine and up the kidneys, and it becomes pernicious, it is a really horrible disease. “TB is winnable and it’s through people like Results [Australia], who are trying to raise awareness and getting governments to commit to it. All the research has been done on TB, we know all about the disease. It’s a matter of having health systems that can handle it,” said Dr Macdonald. TB survivor and Results Australia coordinator Lili Koch said the battle against TB went backwards during COVID but was once again heading in the right direction. “The only time it went up in the last 20 years is in COVID, 1.6m people died of TB. Every year around 10m people will get sick with TB, and this year we saw 1.3m people die. “Within two years there was 25 licensed vaccines for COVID, and so far we still only have one for TB. It’s purely about money, and it’s very hard to get money for it because it’s considered a third world disease,” explained Ms Koch. The small but dedicated group was left deflated however when they lined up in front of Manly Town Hall at sunset for the lights to come on. Instead of lighting up red as in previous years (image above), the town hall lit up green. A spokesperson for Northern Beaches Council apologised for the failure, blaming it on a miscommunication with a contractor. “Council has a program of important issues and events marked each year by the lighting of the Manly Town Hall and has been proud to support World Tuberculosis Day for a number of years. Unfortunately, contractor error resulted in the lights not being activated appropriately when they should have this year. “Council is investigating and will ensure measures are put in place to avoid this occurring again in the future. Council has reached out to organisers to offer our sincere apologies and see if there is an alternative way we can help raise awareness for this important issue,” said the Council spokesperson. Results Australia is a non-partisan advocacy organisation working to end poverty, with a major focus on diseases of poverty such as tuberculosis (TB). They have been working for over thirty years through a combination of staff-led and grassroots advocacy with parliamentarians, aligned organisations and the media. Results is also the Secretariat of the Australian TB Caucus, a parliamentary friendship group committed to ending TB globally.

As one of the world's biggest infectious illnesses, tuberculosis exacts a devastating toll on a global scale. The Global TB Report estimated that in 2022, 10.6 million people fell ill from TB and 1.3 million died. The only other infectious disease with a higher mortality rate in recent years is COVID-19. Regions such as Africa, South and Southeast Asia continue to be most impacted by TB, and face challenges in curbing the spread of new infections. Why is it that tuberculosis disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged nations? Dr Peter Mugyenyi, an specialist on HIV/AIDS from Uganda, had this to say in relation to HIV in 2000. “Where are the drugs? The drugs are where the disease is not. And where is the disease? The disease is where the drugs are not.” Due to insufficient resource allocation, limited political resolve and competing health priorities, governments have been unable to effectively address the persistent challenges of tuberculosis in low and middle income countries, resulting in high rates of infection, mortality and transmission. We must do more to reduce the impact of TB on low and middle-income countries. Across the world, people not only face the physical effects of TB but also social, economic, and psychological effects. Income loss and high healthcare costs make it difficult to obtain a diagnosis or treatment, especially with multidrug-resistant TB. Our friends at Results UK released a report this month on how we need to address the social and economic complexities of TB and take an equity approach. We need to integrate healthcare within broader efforts to tackle poverty, inequality, stigma and the structural barriers that make health services hard to reach. Facilities and systems for health in many low and middle income countries are also short on funding and resources. It is clear that tuberculosis has an extensive impact on the finances of individuals and governments. In 2018, the Lancet found that TB stripped global economies of $476.5 billion. Advocacy groups and the passion of global health organisations has got us this far. To move forward and end TB we need a concerted global effort to reduce the burden of tuberculosis on humanity. There will always be other priorities in healthcare. For many people - particularly in wealthy countries, TB is not an immediate threat to our wellbeing. But TB remains a silent killer and an ongoing, deadly pandemic. We need sustained attention and investment to end TB. Pratyusha Athota is a 2024 Results Australia Global Health Fellow. She is currently undertaking a Bachelor of International Public Health at UNSW.

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘health’? Do you think of being physically fit and free from illness and disease? Do you consider aspects such as maintaining a balanced diet and ensuring mental well-being? Or maybe you associate health with broader factors such as access to quality education, employment with favourable working conditions, a walkable environment, or proximity to strong support systems like friends and family? Health is more than just being free from disease. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. And most importantly, health is a right for everyone. Every year on 7 April, the world comes together to celebrate World Health Day. The World Health Organization’s Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that at least 140 countries recognise health as a human right in their constitution. Out of these 140 countries, only four mention how to finance it, which makes it exceptionally difficult to implement health-improving initiatives into policies and action. In so many countries health programs are stretched and underfunded. It's essential to recognise that addressing health disparities requires more than just rhetoric; it demands concrete action and investment. This is why advocacy is especially important. For example, in recent years advocacy by Results Australia has helped to secure a $100 million Government commitment to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and a $43.55 million Government commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Results has also helped to ensure Australia maintains its commitments to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and Gavi: the Vaccine Alliance. On this World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to prioritising health as a fundamental human right. We must work together to address the underlying factors that contribute to health disparities, including poverty, inequality, lack of access to education, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. Together, let's strive to make "My health, my right" a reality for everyone, everywhere. Ikram Mahamed is a 2024 Results Australia Global Health Fellow. She is a Project Officer at the Centre for Multicultural Youth, and holds a Bachelor of Public Health from Monash University.

As a ‘Progress Snapshot’ is unveiled at a parliamentary breakfast today to mark World Tuberculosis Day, there is renewed hope the deadly disease can be eliminated in the region with increased funding, according to Results International (Australia). With progress getting back on track from COVID-19 setbacks, the snapshot analysis by Results International (Australia) reveals deaths have declined across several countries in Asia and the Pacific between 2021 and 2022. Amid COVID-19 disruptions, TB deaths rose globally after more than a decade of decline but that trend is reversing as testing and treatment increases. The snapshot shows an increase in diagnoses ranging from 22 per cent and 64 per cent in the Philippines, PNG, Indonesia, Vietnam, Timor-Leste and Cambodia between 2021 and 2022, enabling more people to seek treatment. There have also been huge gains in people starting treatment in Asia and the Pacific. For example, in Indonesia, about four times as many people began TB preventive treatment in 2022 than the year before. It comes as the federal government announces $17 million for TB Alliance and partners to develop more effective treatments for TB and help ensure they reach the communities who need them. Results International (Australia) CEO Negaya Chorley said: “We welcome the Australian Government’s funding boost for the next generation of tuberculosis treatment. This investment will help develop more effective treatments, support Australia’s neighbours to strengthen their health systems, and make a difference in the fight against TB. “Tuberculosis is preventable and curable but remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases that kills someone on average every 20 seconds. “While TB is rare in Australia, it remains a threat. Over the past year, clusters of outbreaks have emerged in Australia, while TB remains at crisis levels for many of our neighbours in Asia and the Pacific. “There is still a way to go to eliminate TB globally but it is entirely possible as recent progress has shown. During the early COVID-19 years, TB deaths rose for the first time in more than a decade as the new pandemic derailed global gains in the fight against TB but we are getting back on track as deaths decline, and testing and treatment rises. “The progress made in Asia and the Pacific in just one year proves that dedicated resources and funding, including from Australia, is paying off. But we need to build on this momentum if we want to reach global targets and turn the renewed hope of ending TB by 2030 into a reality. “By 2050, it is projected that a return of US$40 will be realised for every dollar invested in TB research and responses. We welcome the Australian Government’s funding to date, but we encourage Australia to go the extra mile by mobilising additional funds to continue improving TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research in our region.” Results International (Australia) calls on the Australian Government to continue to: Increase investments in TB research and development (R&D) for improved treatments, better diagnostics and a more effective vaccine Support partners in PNG to strengthen the health system and reduce drug and workforce shortages Step-up in countries of Asia and the Pacific to accelerate TB control efforts and health system strengthening, particularly to support TB-affected communities. “The investments and efforts made today will dictate whether TB can end by 2030. Meeting this goal is within reach, and the governments of today, including Australia, can be part of this history-making feat. “When you are fighting an epidemic and one of the biggest diseases of poverty, standing still is not an option.” A World TB Day parliamentary breakfast will be held on Monday March 25. Key facts and figures: Everyday, close to 4,400 people die from TB, including 600 children. Australia’s rates of TB remain extremely low by global standards with around 5.6 new cases for every 100,000. Since May 2022, cases of TB have been identified in some Aboriginal communities in South Australia. SA Health is leading a public health response with communities in the APY Lands to facilitate quick testing and treatment. More than 60 per cent of the global TB burden is in Asia and the Pacific. COVID-related disruptions resulted in about half a million excess deaths from TB. Globally in 2022, TB caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths, down from best estimates of 1.4 million in both 2020 and 2021. That is almost back to the level of 2019. There’s been a global recovery in the reported number of people newly diagnosed with TB. 7.5 million people were newly diagnosed in 2022, the highest number for a single year since WHO started global TB monitoring in the mid-1990s. Worldwide, an estimated 10.6 million people developed TB, up from best estimates of 10.3 million in 2021, and 10 million in 2020. Funding for essential TB services is still down since 2019, and is reaching less than half the global target. Media contact: Sofie Wainwright 0403 920 301

Results CEO Negaya Chorley drives the call for greater investments in TB in our region in this piece published in news.com.au on 25 March. Foreign Minister Penny Wong will direct $17m to fight the tuberculosis scourge that continues to cripple Southeast Asia and The Pacific, though one international aid agency says the money won’t be enough to wipe out the curable illness. Ms Wong announced the commitment on Sunday ahead of World Tuberculosis Day, with the funds set to support the Global Alliance for Tuberculosis to develop and trial a new generation of “drug-resistant” tuberculosis treatments, including for children. Ms Wong said drug-resistant TB was a “major threat” in the region and the new treatments would roll out in Indonesia, the Philippines Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. TB claims a life in Timor-Leste every 11 hours, a life in Papua New Guinea every two hours, a life in the Philippines every 13 minutes and a life in Indonesia every four minutes, according to international aid organisation Results International. “Improving the health and wellbeing of communities in Southeast Asia and the Pacific is central to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous region,” Ms Wong said. “On World Tuberculosis Day, Australia reaffirms our commitment to end tuberculosis.” International Development Minister Pat Conroy said the money would help low income countries access the medicines at “affordable prices”. “This disease causes great suffering and poverty in communities across our region, and we are committed to ending it,” he said. The prevalence of TB, an infection of the lungs, has declined across the world in recent decades, though there was a reversal of the trend during the Covid-19 years. Indonesia recorded 141,000 TB deaths in 2022, a 4 per cent increase from 2021. In 2022, the disease killed an estimated 1.3 million people globally, down from the 1.4 million killed in both 2020 and 2021. The preventable disease was also detected in some remote Indigenous communities in South Australia in May 2022, with SA Health now leading a public health response with communities in the APY Lands in the state’s northwest to facilitate testing and treatment. Results International Australia chief executive Negaya Chorley said she welcomed the new funding but more would be required to eliminate TB by 2030. “While TB is rare in Australia, it remains a threat,” she said. “Over the past year, clusters of outbreaks have emerged in Australia, while TB remains at crisis levels for many of our neighbours in Asia and the Pacific. “There is still a way to go to eliminate TB globally, but it is entirely possible as recent progress has shown. “The progress made in Asia and the Pacific in just one year proves that dedicated resources and funding, including from Australia, is paying off, but we need to build on this momentum if we want to reach global targets and turn the renewed hope of ending TB by 2030 into a reality.”

To mark World TB Day, this op-ed written by Results Australia CEO Negaya Chorley and Burnet Institute Director and CEO Brendan Crabb was published in the Canberra Times on 25 March, 2024. You can also read it via the Canberra Times. Australia will help its Asian and Pacific neighbours fight tuberculosis to stop its spread and support peace and stability in the region. Roughly every 20 seconds, someone dies from tuberculosis, making it one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Though Australia's rates of tuberculosis are extremely low, most of its global burden is borne by close neighbours. It has reached crisis levels for many countries in Asia and the Pacific and remains a threat in Australia, especially after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led tuberculosis deaths to rise for the first time in more than a decade. However, tuberculosis is curable and trends in deaths have started to reverse as an increase in diagnosis in the Philippines, PNG, Indonesia, Vietnam, Timor-Leste and Cambodia has allowed more people to seek treatment. But funding for essential services has been down since 2019 and is reaching less than half its global target. Additionally, drug-resistant tuberculosis has become a major threat in the area, which means more support will be needed for a new generation of treatments. Results International (Australia) chief executive Negaya Chorley says eliminating tuberculosis is entirely possible with improved support. "The progress made in Asia and the Pacific in just one year proves that dedicated resources and funding, including from Australia, is paying off," she said. "The investments and efforts made today will dictate whether TB can end by 2030, meeting this goal is within reach, and the governments of today, including Australia, can be part of this history-making feat." "When you are fighting an epidemic and one of the biggest diseases of poverty, standing still is not an option." The federal government announced on Sunday it would support tuberculosis efforts in the region by investing $17 million in the Global Alliance for Tuberculosis, helping the organisation develop more effective treatments - with a focus on drug-resistant tuberculosis. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the new funding was a reaffirmation the government was committed to ending tuberculosis. "Improving the health and wellbeing of communities in Southeast Asia and the Pacific is central to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous region," she said. The alliance will help governments roll out these new treatments in areas including Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. For every dollar invested in tuberculosis research and responses, a return of $40 will be realised by 2050, according to Results International. There have also been some cases of tuberculosis in South Australia's Aboriginal communities since May 2022, and the state government is leading a public health response with local communities to facilitate testing and treatment.

On World TB Day 2024, Results CEO Negaya Chorley and Burnet Institute Director and CEO Prof Brendan Crabb highlight the continuing fight against TB in our region, and call for investments to end TB. Published in the Sunday Telegraph on 24 March, 2024. Tuberculosis has long been preventable and treatable. Yet, it remains the top infectious disease killer in human history, currently causing 1.3 million deaths per year. Once a terrible scourge everywhere, TB has been largely defeated in high income countries. But huge slabs of the world’s population have been left behind. Incomprehensible to many in Australia, TB continues to ravage many of our neighbours. The alarming rates of multi-drug resistant TB on the island of Daru in PNG’s Western Province, and now in Port Moresby, stand as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive responses. Our colleagues and teams have seen people die from TB - it’s an awful, painful death that can involve coughing up blood as the lungs are attacked by the bacteria. Getting access to testing and treatment can also be arduous, taking people in parts of PNG, for example, two hours to travel by road or boat to their nearest TB clinic. Just with COVID-19, another top airborne killer, we’ve learnt that you can drastically reduce deaths and infections when you have the global funding and willpower behind it. The same concerted effort must be applied to end TB. As experience in Australia and other rich countries has shown, mass TB screening and treatment programs of the 1950s, together with current tests and treatments can be used to effectively eliminate TB. Even better tools, including newer rapid tests, shorter treatments and more effective vaccines are on the way. Australian taxpayer dollars are working. The health prospects of entire communities in Asia and the Pacific can turn around with the help of our country’s investments in TB research and programs that train health workers to screen, treat and prevent TB. Work is underway in Indonesia, PNG (Daru) and Kiribati. For TB, the investment needed is minuscule compared to the enormity of the human health, security and economic returns. It’s the best bang for buck there is. - Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC and Results International (Australia) CEO Negaya Chorley.

Across the world, countless women are instrumental in driving global immunisation efforts. These women play a crucial role in administering vaccines and educating communities, particularly in the fight against polio. Women make up 70% of the health workforce globally, which underscores our invaluable contribution to providing essential healthcare services worldwide. As a Registered Nurse myself, working at Monash Children’s Hospital, I recognise the important role of women in childhood immunisation - a service that safeguards the overall health and wellbeing of children and communities. The work of my fellow female healthcare workers is pivotal to the delivery of these life-saving vaccines, and to community wellbeing. In 2020, Sadia Rizwan, a healthcare worker in Pakistan, visited numerous homes daily to administer a two-drop oral polio vaccine to children. Rizwan is among more than 100,000 female vaccinators who serve on the front line in the battle against polio. These women operate in both urban and remote communities, mitigating vaccine hesitancy and skepticism through education and culturally sensitive vaccine administration. Their gender grants them access to societal and household spheres that their male counterparts often don’t have access to. It is evident that the pivotal factor in the success of vaccination efforts lies with women. Results Australia’s advocacy has obtained substantial funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). These organisations deliver millions of vaccines every year and have tailored programs aimed at guaranteeing the vaccination of children, and recognising the role of women in vaccination programs. The GPEI has continuously employed local strategies to involve women in the vital decision to vaccinate their children. In 2022, the Pakistan Polio Programme launched The Listening Project, to gather insights from Pakistan’s female frontline health workers and develop solutions for a polio-free future. Our progress against polio is owed to the tireless efforts and unwavering dedication of brave women committed to safeguarding children and communities from disease. As the world celebrates International Women’s Day on 8 March, let’s take this moment to think of these remarkable women and their efforts to ensure that children everywhere are safe from the threat of preventable diseases. Their resilience and commitment to ensuring the health of children worldwide deserves our utmost appreciation and acknowledgement. The work of these women is not only saving lives but paving the way for a healthier and more equitable world for all. Jessica Scuotto is a 2024 Results Australia Global Health Fellow. She holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Nursing. She is a Registered Nurse at Monash Children’s Hospital.

The fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into our daily lives marks a transformative era, particularly in the healthcare sector. Recognising this potential, the Australian Government in its 2023-2024 budget revealed plans to provide $41.2 million to foster the integration of responsible AI technologies into the economy. This is in addition to the earlier $44 million allocation towards establishing four AI and Digital Capacity Centres, signifying a robust commitment to nurturing AI’s growth and application. But what exactly are AI and machine learning? AI embodies the creation of machines and systems that simulate human intelligence, performing tasks that typically require human cognition. Machine learning, a subset of AI, empowers machines to autonomously learn from data and improve over time. By analysing vast datasets, these systems can uncover patterns and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed for each task. The implications are profound in healthcare. AI and machine learning are revolutionising how we approach preventative care, diagnose diseases, personalise treatments, and manage patient care. AI algorithms can now accurately interpret medical images, identify cancerous tumours at early stages, and predict patient outcomes with remarkable precision. AI algorithms are already outperforming radiologists in spotting malignant tumours.  Excitingly, AI is also emerging as an efficient diagnostic tool for diseases like tuberculosis, with AI analysis of chest x-rays and cough recordings being reliable indicators of active disease. On a broader scale, machine learning models are being used to analyse electronic health records for insights into patient health trends, treatment outcomes, and risk factors. This capability enables a more proactive and preventative approach to healthcare, likely saving lives and reducing costs. While AI in healthcare settings still requires human oversight, it is certainly emerging as a ground-breaking resource for diagnostics and patient outcomes. Investments in the research and development of these innovative technologies is an essential step forward for improving healthcare and decreasing the global burden of disease. By continuing to support the responsible development and integration of AI technologies, and by sharing these resources with our neighbours, Australia can position itself at the forefront of a healthcare revolution, promising improved outcomes for patients and a more efficient, effective healthcare system. From where we stand today, the continued evolution of AI and machine learning in healthcare offers a glimpse into a future where technology and human expertise converge to enhance the well-being of populations worldwide. Nari Ali is a 2024 Results Australia Global Health Fellow. She is a practicing lawyer, currently pursuing a Master of Health Law at Monash University.

Palestinian civilians in Gaza confront a dire health crisis, compounded by a collapsing health system, limited access to food and clean water, and the threat of infectious diseases and malnutrition amid ongoing violence. UNICEF has called Gaza the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. Conflict inevitably damages health infrastructure, and disease follows. In the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and ongoing civil wars in Syria and Yemen, tuberculosis and polio have re-emerged as public health concerns. Infections spread more easily without proper access to sanitation or prevention measures. The rapid spread of these diseases in vulnerable populations threatens to increase the already unacceptable death-toll of this conflict. Only six of Gaza's 36 hospitals remain partially functional, with the rest too damaged to operate. This leaves a significant challenge for the continued delivery of health services during this crisis, and into the future. On top of these catastrophic conditions, the entire population of Gaza is at risk of malnutrition, with many families turning to animal feed for sustenance. Almost 10% of children under five are already acutely malnourished - a figure which is likely to grow as the war continues, and access to food and humanitarian aid remains limited. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that “People in Gaza are suffering from a lack of food, water, medicines and adequate healthcare. Famine will make an already terrible situation catastrophic because sick people are more likely to succumb to starvation and starving people are more vulnerable to disease”. An immediate, permanent ceasefire is the only way that people in Gaza will be able to access much-needed primary healthcare, and begin to rebuild their lives. Amelia Richardson is Results Australia's Projects and Communications Officer. She holds a Bachelor of Development Studies (Hons) from the Australian National University.

In 2023, I started my journey with Results Australia as a Global Health Fellow. I have always been fascinated by global health, and I was looking for a program focused on enhancing my advocacy skills as part of my professional role. This fellowship not only provided a profound learning experience in advocating to decision makers and empowering communities, but also a space to create meaningful connections. Together with the other Fellows across Australia, I went on a three-days retreat in Canberra where I had the opportunity to engage in discussion with leaders in global health and advocacy, as well as to meet with some of the Members of Parliament. Each session of the retreat was fundamental in shaping the success of the entire fellowship, including the theoretical sections, roundtable discussions and face-to-face interactions with politicians. This experience not only enriched my knowledge, but also allowed me to put into practice various advocacy strategies and establish connections with diverse like-minded people. As my experience as a Results Fellow is coming to an end, I am grateful for the chance to share this journey with wonderful people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, linked by the common interest in advocacy and global health, with a particular focus on infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. I would highly recommend the Fellowship program to anyone who is passionate about global health equity and wants to make a difference using the power of advocacy and make a difference in people’s lives. Francesca Sanna is a 2023 Results Australia Global Health Fellow. She is a Postdoctoral Research Officer at Telethon Kids Institute. Holding a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Università degli Studi di Verona.