Mérieux Foundation Experts Visit China CDC’s Tuberculosis Control Center for Exchange

On October 18, 2024, Dr. Jonathan Hoffmann, TB Project Manager at the Mérieux Foundation; Liao Qizhi, Chief Representative in China; and Huang Yanjun, Finance Manager, visited the China CDC Tuberculosis Control Center for an exchange visit to enhance the implementation quality of the third phase of the Mérieux Foundation Tuberculosis Project and explore future cooperation directions.

 

Director Zhao Yanlin of the Tuberculosis Control Center at the China CDC warmly welcome the experts from the Mérieux Foundation , providing a comprehensive overview of their collaborative history and delivering a focused introduction to China’s “TB-Free Communities” initiative. Researcher Wang Ni subsequently presented an in-depth analysis of tuberculosis prevalence and control measures in China. The visiting experts and center staff then engaged in extensive discussions regarding the progress, existing challenges, and solutions for the third phase of the Mérieux Foundation TB Project, as well as the planned for on-site training and technical guidance for 2024 in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, aimed at ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of project activities. Following these discussions, Dr. Hoffmann and his team visited the National TB Reference Laboratory to gain insights into new TB diagnostic technologies’ application and the specific practices related to systematic quality control in China.

 

Since its establishment in China in 2007, the Mérieux Foundation TB Project has succesfully completed three phases, fostering extensive collaboration in evaluating of novel TB diagnostic technologies and the development of TB prevention and control models for high-prevalence areas. This exchange deepened the mutual understanding of work and research priorities between the Tuberculosis Control Center and the Mérieux Foundation, laying a foundation for future collaborative endeavors. At the conclusion of the visit, Director Zhao Yanlin presented Dr. Hoffmann and his team with commemorative T-shirts and badges symbolizing the commitment of TB-Free Communities.