Map of TB incidence courtesy of Nature.com.
Tuberculosis (TB) kills nearly two million people a year, or 5,000 people every day. Yesterday, people around the world recognized World Tuberculosis Day 2010 to raise awareness about the urgent need to develop new and innovative ways to stop TB, not only in developing countries, but in every country across the globe.
As alarmed as I was by these statistics, I was pleased to learn that advocacy groups, activists, medical professionals, community members and various other individuals have come together to address the need for more research and medical advancements to fight this bacteria-driven infectious disease. In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Stop TB Partnership to eliminate TB by characterizing it as a public health problem and ultimately achieve a world free of TB. The Partnership is comprised of international organizations, countries, donors from the public and private sectors, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations, who all want to accomplish one goal – eradicating TB.
The Stop TB Partnership will reach a milestone this year with 2010 marking the halfway point for the Global Plan to Stop TB (2006-2015). The Global Plan to Stop TB focusing on rallying key new partners, pushing forward research and development and having a rapid impact on TB in the areas suffering most from the epidemic. The plan, built on the foundation for global TB control, requires funding of $56 billion over 10 years.
Last week, the WHO posted a press release announcing that one in four people with TB in certain areas of the world become ill with a form of the disease that can no longer be treated with standard drugs regimens. The report titled “Multidrug and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: 2010 Global Report on Surveillance and Response” found that 28 percent of all people newly diagnosed with TB in one region of Northwest Russia had the multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) form of the disease in 2008 – the highest level ever reported to the WHO. Even more alarming, it was estimated that 440,000 people worldwide had MDR-TB in 2008. This report garnered significant media coverage as it verified that TB is truly a threat to global health and affects individuals worldwide.
The Stop TB Partnership is encouraging people to donate $20 to the effort, which will pay for one full treatment for TB and can even save a life. I also encourage you to visit the resources page the Stop TB Partnership provides visitors on its Web site.
With this new knowledge surrounding TB and the Stop TB Partnership organization, I am making it a personal goal of mine to keep tabs on new reports and news surrounding TB. Stay tuned for upcoming news and developments!
Ali Martin
Tags: TB
