The PCF approach (along with the information and tools in this Knowledge Hub) is based on the WHO People-Centred Framework for Tuberculosis Programme Planning and Prioritization: User Guide, published in 2019. This guide provides information and tools to help align a tuberculosis programme with the WHO’s recommendations. The next release in the series is the WHO Toolkit to develop a national strategic plan to end tuberculosis, which is expected to be published in 2021. Finally, the revision of the WHO Toolkit for TB programme evaluation is expected to be released in 2022. Links to these documents can be found below.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the availability of quality data to track the TB epidemic. This is thanks to significant investments in national surveys, surveillance and programmatic data improvements, and other studies. However, even though data on tuberculosis is more readily available than in the past, this information is only sometimes used to develop national tuberculosis prevention and control plans. This needs to change, as it’s essential for effective national TB planning and prioritization.

In 2018, WHO and its partners developed the “people-centred framework for TB programme planning and prioritization”. The framework aims to enable a systematic, data-driven and people-centred approach to country-led planning, prioritization and decision-making. The framework is most effectively applied during the development of a country’s National Strategic Plan (NSP). However, it can also be applied at other points in the country’s planning and policy cycle.​

The user guide outlines the concept of the framework and its possible applications, case studies, a data consolidation process and an organization of a people-centred framework workshop.​​

 The Guidance for national strategic planning for tuberculosis is intended for use in developing standalone TB strategic plans, or in developing TB interventions as part of multi-disease or national health sector plans. It describes good practices and steps for developing a TB NSP in line with WHO’s End TB Strategy, and the proposed structure and components of the TB NSP.

This guidance is meant to help you create a TB strategic plan that can stand on its own, or develop TB interventions as part of a bigger plan that includes other diseases or national health sector plans. It outlines the best practices and steps for creating a TB NSP that adheres to WHO’s End TB Strategy, as well as the proposed structure and components of the TB NSP.