Mexicali and Imperial County, located across from each other on either side of the US-Mexico border, have declared their intention to implement Zero TB Initiative programs in their respective areas and in close collaboration with one another. Many thousands of people cross back and forth between the two border crossings between Mexicali and Imperial County on a daily basis, and adding to this number is the increasing flow of people traveling north through Mexico. AA&D and the Zero TB Initiative are seeking to bolster existing disease control efforts and support new initiatives in response to the urgent request of officials from Mexicali and Imperial County. There is now a broad consensus across stakeholders to act swiftly and comprehensively against the disease.

AA&D and its partners seek to find and treat thousands of active cases of TB along this single stretch of the border and to drastically reduce rates while extending other critical supportive services. Lessons learned from this project can and will inform practices for disease elimination and health care delivery in other US-Mexico border areas and beyond. To achieve this, resources and action are critically needed to fill gaps in the health system and extend access to care for the people who need it most.