From Moira Callaghan
The development of a new treatment for tuberculosis is good news indeed (1 March, p 24). Around 2 million people die each year as a result of TB, and it is known to be a major cause of death in people with HIV/AIDS. Countless others live in poverty and suffering as a further effect of TB.
A global plan to combat TB has been agreed, backed up by the Global TB Drug Facility and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. But the key problem is lack of resources. Conventional treatment for TB costs around $10—yet shamefully, less than one-third of people who need this treatment can afford it.
To effectively combat TB, treatments need to remain affordable, and governments in developed nations need to significantly improve their contribution to the Global Fund.
Monday 24 March has been designated World TB day, commemorating the date of the discovery of the TB bacterium. Can we look forward on this anniversary to achieving the real commitment needed to properly resource the fight against this killer disease?
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Paisley, Renfrewshire, UK
