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Official statement of the Activists’ Coalition on TB – Asia-Pacific (ACT! AP) in light of Trump’s “stop work” order

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 31 January 2025

ACT! AP alarmed over Trump’s “stop-work” order; immediately calls for US government to resume and honor its commitments to ending TB by 2030

The Activists’ Coalition on TB – Asia-Pacific (ACT! AP), hosted by APCASO, expresses serious concern and alarm over the series of Executive Orders that have halted global aid financing and federal grants given the U.S. historical leadership in global health and in ending TB by 2030. This decision overturns decades of investments, gains, and global solidarity in fighting deadly infectious diseases like Tuberculosis (TB).

ACT! AP is aware that this decision is already paralysing almost all of the operations of many of its members across 15 countries in the region – with closures of onsite and mobile service clinics, laying-off of thousands of essential staff that are stationed where communities are, and halting of mobilisation activities that could have strengthened our capacities to respond to TB and TB-related issues. It will take significant effort and resources to resume all these disrupted programmes and activities. The Asia-Pacific region bears the heaviest TB burden globally, and this suspension from the U.S. government leaves poor men, women, children, elderly, those with multi-drug resistance (MDR-TB) without services and support they need. This decision risks derailing progress not only of our region but toward the United States’ commitment to ending TB by 2030, a goal aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While recent news report the rescinding of this “stop-work” order, we already fear the irreversible impact on our civil society members and the people we are serving, and most importantly, those whom we serve at our clinics and through our outreach have already been affected: losses to follow-up, lack of available TB treatment, increase in TB case infections and lack of social protection among people with TB and those affected by TB. Any further implementation of the stop-work order would only mean more illnesses and deaths.

ACT! AP immediately calls on the U.S. government to:

  1. Fully rescind and clearly communicate to funded partners the order to resume and reinforce TB programmes;
  2. Continue to honor its political and financial commitments on TB and broader global health issues;
  3. Continue to demonstrate leadership in people-centred global partnerships;
  4. Continue to support acceleration of TB research and innovation; and
  5. Continue to protect people from TB infection and TB-related deaths

The U.S. government’s leadership in the global fight against TB has been in saving millions of lives. Now is not the time to step back. We can end TB but the U.S., like and the rest of the countries need to stand by their commitment to ending TB by 2030. We urge the U.S. administration to reverse the “stop order” and to demonstrate support for this cause as this makes America safer, better, stronger, healthier, and more prosperous.

ACT! AP will continue to support Member States in their unwavering commitment and political will to ending TB in the Asia-Pacific by 2030. We look forward to the United States’ re-commitment in the name of global solidarity for global health.

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The Activists Coalition on TB – Asia-Pacific (ACT! AP) is Asia-Pacific’s first and only regional coalition of TB activists. Established in 2016 and hosted by APCASO, ACT! AP is guided by its new Commitments to Action for 2024-2026: https://apcaso.org/act-ap-commitment-to-action-2024-2026/ For more information and communications, please email Jeff Acaba, ACT! AP coordinator, at [email protected].