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Ending Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world's most deadly infectious disease, claiming 1.6 million lives each year in lower-income countries throughout our region and the world. Given Results’ overarching mission to end global poverty, and our experience and reputation for impactful global health advocacy, TB is a natural focal point for our campaigning activities.
TB is devastating for poor and marginalised communities. It is an airborne disease caused by bacteria that primarily affects the lungs and has plagued humanity for millennia. Over the past two centuries, TB has killed more than one billion people. Remarkably, we can end TB within a decade. To do this, we must support vulnerable countries to diagnose and treat the disease effectively.
Results is secretariat to the Australian TB Caucus a cross-partisan parliamentary friendship group. The Caucus brings together members of the House of Representatives and Senators keen to champion support and expertise for the global eradication of TB. The Caucus focuses on the Asia-Pacific region and increasing awareness about TB and its impact.The Caucus works to secure support and expertise to contribute to the global eradication of TB. Launched in March 2016, it currently has 20 members and is part of the Global TB Caucus, a network comprising of over 2,500 MPs in more than 150 countries committed to ending TB. The Australian TB Caucus is formally recognised by the Presiding Officers of the Australian Parliament as a Parliamentary Friendship Group.The Australian TB Caucus is currently Co-Chaired by Ms Kate Thwaites MP, Dr Sophie Scamps MP and Ms Mary Aldred MP. Secretariat support to the Caucus is provided by Results Australia.
The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. The Global Fund raises and invests more than US$5 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice that fuels them, and strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries.
In 2023 the Global Fund made an unprecedented level of investments to build strong health and community systems, mitigating the impact of today's global health crises that they fund. The Global Fund plays a critical role in supporting countries and communities to advance human rights and gender equality by breaking down barriers to health and ensuring access to lifesaving care for those who need it most.
To achieve the greatest impact against the deadliest infectious diseases, the Global Fund challenges power dynamics to ensure affected communities have an equal voice in the fight against TB, HIV and malaria, and an equal chance at a healthy future. By working together, the Global Fund and its partners are getting close to achieving the goals the world once deemed impossible – ending HIV, TB and malaria as public health threats.
Results' health equity and TB campaigns have often focussed on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, as this respected public-private partnership provides 76% of all international TB financing. Our first major success with the Global Fund was in 2008-09, when our support and government outreach was acknowledged by the Global Fund as key factors leading to Australia's participation in the Debt2Health initiative, which results in millions of dollars being directed to domestic TB programs in Indonesia.
Results has since been a leading player in the Global Fund's triennial replenishment events. Supported by our national network of volunteer advocates, and aligned civil society partners domestically and globally, we work to raise the awareness of the burden of TB in the Indo-Pacific region and encourage Australia to contribute its fair share to the Global Fund.
Since our involvement began, the Australian Government's pledges have increased from $135 million for the Second Replenishment in 2007 to $266 million for the Seventh Replenishment in 2022.
Results is acutely aware of the need for increased R&D funding, to help protect low- and middle-income countries in our neighbouring Indo-Pacific region from the threat of TB. Our main TB campaign in 2020 focused heavily on MP outreach and public op-eds to encourage greater Australian investment in TB R&D. In that year, the government announced $8.3 million to fund four new research projects addressing drug-resistant TB and antimicrobial resistance in the Pacific Islands. Results continues to call for increased investments in TB, including TB R&D, in order to meet global targets. Without this, we will remain off track to end TB by 2030.
We conduct large-scale advocacy campaigns every year to mark World TB Day on 24 March, including parliamentary briefing events, motions raised by MPs in the House of Representatives, and our awareness-raising “Light Up Red for TB” event (part of the global "Light Up Red" campaign) reaching buildings and monuments across the country.
For many years, Results has worked to keep tuberculosis on Australia’s political agenda through sustained engagement with parliamentarians and decision-makers. Each year, we bring the TB conversation directly to Parliament House, creating opportunities for MPs and Senators to hear from people affected by TB, researchers, health experts, advocates and leaders from Australia and across the Indo-Pacific.Through parliamentary events, briefings and meetings with MPs, we connect the realities of TB with the policy decisions and investments needed to end it. These engagements build understanding of Australia’s role in the regional and global TB response, strengthen relationships with political champions, and create opportunities to advocate for greater investment in TB prevention, research, diagnostics, treatment and strong health systems.Our approach is built on sustained engagement rather than one-off moments. By returning to Parliament year after year, working across political parties and bringing evidence and community perspectives directly to decision-makers, Results helps build the political awareness, relationships and momentum needed for long-term change.Most recently, our 2026 Parliament House event, Beyond Borders: What can we learn from First Nations Australia and the Indo-Pacific in the fight to end Tuberculosis?, brought together parliamentarians, community leaders, researchers, advocates and global health partners to explore what Australia and our region can learn from community-led approaches to ending TB.
How we take action
The impact of our advocacy

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