The Green Light Campaign

The Green Light Committee Initiative was established in 2000 to assist countries in strengthening their DR TB programmes. Eight years later, only five countries in Southern Africa have applied to benefit from this initiative - DRC, Lesotho, Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. Mozambique is still involved in the application process, and Malawi withdrew its application in 2002.

Applying for participation in the GLC Initiative is an important step towards strengthening DR TB programmes - in addition to provision of technical expertise and ongoing support for DR TB management, through the GLC countries also have cheaper, quicker access to second-line medicine. They are also much more likely to get funding for DR TB programmes if they are GLC-approved and hence technically sound.

Some countries have expressed interest in having access to the cheaper drugs, but not in the technical assistance for improving programmes - however,the two must go hand in hand. As we all know, this sub-region is extremely under-equipped for dealing with DR TB. We are seeing more and more cases of XDR TB emerging, and yet there is no evidence of increasing urgency in our governments' responses to this crisis. Why are SADC countries ignoring opportunities to strengthen their DR TB programmes?? DR TB will continue spiralling out of control, just has TB has done for decades, unless we immediately start advocating for more urgent responses to it. Applying for the GLC, as a matter of urgency, is one such response.

Please read the attached fact sheet on advocating for country participation in the GLC to improve the management of DR TB. You can also look at the GLC flyer, available at http://webitpreview.who.int/entity/tb/challenges/mdr/greenlightcommittee/flyer_digital.pdf, for further information. When you've read it, ACT on it by putting pressure on your governments to initiate application to the GLC before September 2008.