6. Advocacy and advocates: What is it? Who are they? - Muyabala Munachitombwe-Muna (Swaziland), Evaline Kibuchi (Kenya)
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Room: MR 2.44–2.46
Advocacy is a concept misunderstood by many players in the scientific field, yet an important ingredient in making progress in addressing barriers blocking achievements of targets in public health. It has also played a very pivotal role in bringing issues of public interest to decision makers and enable actions to be taken on these issues. TB Advocacy and Advocates aims at placing TB high on the political agenda, strengthen government commitment to implement or improve TB related policies, and increase and sustain financial and other resources for TB. As such TB Program Managers, civil society, and community based groups need to understand how to use advocacy for communication, social mobilization, and partnership formation to achieve a TB free world. This session will provide a platform for conference participants to meet TB Advocates to share experiences and good evidence based practices and strategic approaches to advocacy for TB.