Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease of social inequity. Prior to COVID-19, it was the leading cause of death from an infection, endemic in many low- and middle-income countries facing weak systems of health and social protection, and grossly overrepresented in socioeconomically and legally vulnerable groups such as migrants, refugees, Indigenous and racialized populations in higher-income countries. Biomedical and technological advancements, which have been a focus of the global TB response, have failed to curb its incidence or address its root social drivers.

This project brings together social scientists and TB policymakers, funders, and technical agencies over a three-day interdisciplinary workshop to discuss how principles of equity are imagined, integrated, and practiced in current responses for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of TB. By juxtaposing social, ethical, and legal perspectives on public health imperatives for TB ‘control’, we will assess the current state of equity conversations and deliberate in depth regarding how to optimally incorporate and uphold necessary principles in envisioning and planning for improved outcomes along the TB care cascade.

Our fundamental goal is to assess nascent policy changes to the application of equity within the framework of person-centred TB care and devise novel, social science-driven approaches to intervene in global TB efforts.