12 May 2025, Mumbai: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders South Asia convened the 4th edition of its Tuberculosis (TB) Day on May 12, 2025, in Mumbai, India, bringing together over 200 medical experts, TB survivors, policymakers, researchers, and civil society leaders from across South Asia. This year’s gathering comes at a pivotal moment as MSF transitions its long-standing TB operations in Mumbai, marking a shift from service delivery to a stronger focus on advocacy and system strengthening.
Anchored around the theme of sustainable impact and equity in TB care, the event served as a powerful platform for dialogue and collaboration on drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) elimination. With the support of national and regional stakeholders including the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, World Health Organisation, The Union, BRAC, PATH, and others, the event served as a timely platform for advancing dialogue on the social determinants of TB and the importance of multi-sectoral convergence.
The welcome address was given by Dr Daksha Shah, Executive Health Officer at the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai. It was followed by a keynote address by Professor of Translational Discovery at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Prof. Anil Koul, who underscored the urgent need for investment in research, policy innovation, and public-private partnerships to make Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) treatment more accessible and patient-friendly.
The panel discussion on ‘New TB Treatment Regimens: Faster Cures, Fewer Side Effects, and Fresh Hope’, explored cutting-edge research and clinical advancements in DR-TB treatment. Dr Animesh Sinha from MSF moderated the compelling exchange that featured insights from Dr Jennifer Furin of Harvard Medical School, Lorenzo Guglielmetti of the EndTB Project, Dr Vijay Chavan from MSF’s Training Unit, and Dr Rupak Singla of the National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases. The session also included a moving testimony from TB survivor Meera Yadav, who spoke about her experience with newer, shorter treatment regimens that offered not only medical relief but restored dignity.
The session on ‘From Stigma to Strength: Building Community-Centered TB Solutions’, focused on the critical role of community engagement in TB responses. Moderated by Ms. Anisha Singh from The Union, the panel brought together voices from across the region, including Anwesha Ghosh from TB Meri Kahani, Dr Nishant Kumar of the Central TB Division, and representatives from BRAC, Ashoka University, and SMART Radio. The discussion emphasized how behavioural insights, community-based health interventions, and inclusive media can help dismantle stigma and empower TB-affected populations.
Participants also heard programmatic insights from Dr Urvashi Singh, Deputy Director General-TB, Central TB Division, who laid out national priorities and pathways for convergence between public health structures and grassroots-led approaches. The final panel discussion of the day, ‘Sustaining Impact: Funding TB Elimination in a Shifting Landscape’, examined the resource gaps and opportunities facing TB care across South Asia. Dr Radha Munje of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College moderated this discussion, which included speakers from PATH, the Clinton Foundation, HLFPPT, NTEP-Mumbai, and the DOPASI Foundation in Pakistan. Together, they stressed the urgent need for predictable funding, regional collaboration, and context-appropriate financing models to ensure continued progress toward TB elimination goals.
Dr Vineet Bhatia, Regional Advisor at the World Health Organization, delivered the closing remarks, calling for deeper cross-border collaboration and the sustained inclusion of survivor and community voices in shaping TB policies. A special feature of the event was a picture story exposition, presenting lived experiences of TB survivors and frontline health workers through immersive visual narratives.
