By Blessina Kumar – CEO Global Coalition of TB Activists (GCTA)

One of the most commendable aspects of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the effective dissemination of key information worldwide. Despite the spread of misinformation, the overall messaging has been sensitive, informative, and highly effective in helping communities protect themselves. As someone who has spent years working on tuberculosis (TB) and strategies to mitigate its spread, I deeply appreciate the effort put into making critical information accessible to all.

In contrast, the messaging around TB elimination remains overly medicalized and often contributes to stigma rather than reducing it. On platforms like Twitter and television, COVID-19 messaging has emphasized community action—highlighting that keeping yourself safe is synonymous with protecting others. The dialogue has been humanizing, with calls to view COVID-19 patients as people, not just numbers or cases. This is a crucial lesson for those of us working in TB.

Recently, I spoke with a young woman diagnosed with TB meningitis. The diagnosis was terrifying for her, especially when it came to deciding on treatment. Unfortunately, our toll-free number often doesn’t work, and those who manage to seek competent counsel are vastly outnumbered by those who cannot. This lack of accessible information can be devastating, as we’ve seen during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The scale of investment and the speed of the COVID-19 response demonstrate what is possible when there is a genuine will to act. In India, despite high-level commitment, we are still struggling to achieve TB elimination ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target. When the Prime Minister announced in 2017 that India would end TB by 2025—five years ahead of the SDGs—it provided a significant impetus to channel energy into the TB program. Yet, something is still missing.

During the AIDS epidemic, we witnessed rapid and effective messaging driven by affected community members. With the availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, vulnerable populations were sensitized and empowered with the right information to understand the disease and its treatment. For example, the human immune system was cleverly compared to an army to explain how HIV affects the body—a message that resonated widely. Similarly, COVID-19 messaging has been simplified into bite-sized, easy-to-understand packages, emphasizing the importance of physical distancing and risk mitigation.

Today, we know that COVID-19 can severely affect individuals with active TB or pre-existing lung conditions, as well as those with comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension. To effectively protect against both diseases, we must address the fear and stigma surrounding them. We need people-centric systems and innovative, inclusive, and sensitive public messaging to inspire individuals to seek treatment promptly, minimizing risks to themselves and others. #EndStigmaEndTB

Organizations like the India Health Fund (IHF) are working to transform how we address TB. The more we approach disease elimination innovatively—whether in communications, diagnostics, or treatment—the better our chances of ending TB in India by 2025.

About the Author
Blessina Kumar is a health activist with a background in Community Health and Health Systems Management. She is the co-founder of the Global Coalition of TB Activists (GCTA) and has extensive experience working with marginalized communities in India and internally displaced populations in Sudan.