Tuberculosis (TB) remains a persistent public health challenge in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly among vulnerable populations. While active TB cases receive attention and resources, tuberculosis infection (TBI) continues to pose a silent risk to public health and TB elimination goals.

This Symposium is the final event of the Latent Tuberculosis Inventory project aimed to examine and create an overview of the Nordic-Baltic countries’ and Ukraine’s approaches to handling LTBI, and to compare those with the existing WHO and ECDC guidelines and recommendations. During the Symposium we will:

• present the outcomes of the project, including country assessments, common challenges, and recommendations;
• discuss and validate the policy recommendations developed through the project;
• explore how the various actors can work together to put these recommendations into practice at national and/or European level;
• strengthen regional cooperation and align approaches with international recommendations from the WHO and ECDC;
• engage relevant actors to inform future policy planning, funding, and collaboration opportunities.

PROGRAMME

9:30-10:00 Registration and coffee

10:00-10:15 Welcome by NDPHS Secretariat and project leadership

10:15-11:00 Setting the scene: Regional and global perspectives and challenges with focus on TBI. Contributions from WHO/Europe, ECDC, and other key stakeholders

• TBI screening
• Current or planned initiatives of TBI
• Potential and challenges

11:00-12:00 Presentation of the LTBI project results and country reflections

• Overview of project activities and assessments
• Short interventions from partners

12:00-12:30 Coffee break

12:30-13:15 Policy roundtable discussion

• LTBI project policy recommendations
• Facilitated exchange among policymakers and invited stakeholders

13:15-13:30 Closing remarks and next steps

• Summary, takeaways, and discussion of future cooperation

13:30-14:30 Lunch

When: 4 December 2025, 9:30 – 14:30
Where: NDPHS Secretariat
Wollmar Yxkullsgatan 23, 118 50
Stockholm, Sweden

The LTBI Project is implemented by the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being, Finnish Lung Health Association, Estonian National Institute for Health Development, and Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the achievement of the WHO End TB Strategy by pursuing new knowledge that can change TB prevention and care.

Co-financed by:

LTBI project partners: