Out of Step 2015: TB Policies in 24 Countries

The 2015 Out of Step report presents the results of a survey of 24 countries conducted by Stop TB
Partnership and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Building on the previous Out of Step report, this year's survey tracked adoption of the latest TB policies, guidelines and tools across five areas: diagnosis and drug resistance testing; drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) treatment regimens; MDR-TB treatment regimens; models of care; and regulatory frameworks. The results of this survey provide a snapshot of the world’s readiness to defeat the TB epidemic. Although effectively implemented policies and guidelines alone will not be sufficient, they form the foundation for a strong and comprehensive TB response that leaves no one with TB behind.

While this report is not a comprehensive or authoritative assessment of countries' national TB policies, it provides an indication of the level of preparedness to implement and scale up action. The results of the survey show that many countries need to take bold steps to bring their policies up to date with the latest international standards. There is a greater need to use rapid molecular tests for diagnosis of TB and drug resistance and to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for people with TB. This, coupled with innovative approaches to active case finding, will help reach the nearly 4 million with TB missed by health systems each year.