Tuberculosis has been affecting humans since prehistoric times and the key to TB control may be just as old: people themselves. Putting people at the center of TB control efforts—building their capacity to manage TB efficiently and reaching those who are most vulnerable to TB—can make all the difference.

At MSH, we focus on people at all levels of the health system: individuals who make decisions about their health, community health workers who bring services close to the home, facility health workers who administer essential health services, and government officials who set standards and allocate resources. Our success with people-centered TB control initiatives shows that TB is more than just the tuberculosis bacilli. It is a problem of weaknesses in health systems. With a people-centered, health systems approach, we can better understand TB’s effects on people and how people can best control TB.