UK support for global TB campaign urged

Britain's Minister for International Development, Gareth Thomas, will launch a UK conference in London calling for more support for the Global Plan to Stop TB on 23rd March the eve of World Stop TB Day.

Gareth Thomas (MP, Harrow West) says:

"Nobody needs to die of tuberculosis, yet someone does every 15 seconds. Tackling this treatable disease, and ending its threat, should be our shared priority.

He adds: "Developing new ways to detect and treat TB, and improving access to medicines is key and the Global Plan to Stop TB is the way forward, to take on this challenge together."

The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), RESULTS UK and TB Alert have organised the event to look at how non-governmental organisations, academics, pharmaceutical companies and policy makers can all play their part in helping to deliver the comprehensive plan to tackle the disease.

Dermot Maher from the Stop TB Department of the WHO will talk about the impact of TB around the world and summarise the aims of the plan, which include halving TB prevalence and deaths by 2015.

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death from infectious diseases for poor people around the world, but it is entirely curable and preventable. Each year almost nine million people contract the disease and about two million die from it.

The Global Plan sets out how 50 million people could be treated for TB and 14 million lives could be saved over the next ten years. It also states what needs to happen to achieve new TB drugs and a vaccine. The estimated budget for the plan is US$56 billion. Much of this will come from the governments of high-burden nations mostly developing countries - but there is a funding gap of US$ 3 billion per year.

Sheila Davie, National Director of RESULTS UK says: What is set out in the plan is achievable but only if there is real commitment from governments and other interested parties to fully commit to the plan. Thats why we have organised this event; to bring everyone together to explore what needs to be done and to encourage concrete action.

Peter Ngatia, Director of Learning Systems at AMREF adds: In Africa, TB rates are rapidly increasing. We have to tackle this huge epidemic at all levels: from grassroots communities in Africa to the parliaments and boardrooms in rich nations.

Paul Sommerfeld, Chair of Trustees of TB Alert stresses that The TB world has a good record of achievement. The cure and detection rate targets of the 2000-05 Plan were largely realised. This new ten-year Plan needs major effort and commitment from Britain by government, researchers, charities and pharmaceutical companies.

Sheila Davie, Peter Ngatia and Paul Sommerfeld will speak at the event, along with Dr Vinand Nantulya, Head of Policy at Foundation for Innovation for New Diagnostics and Dr Noel Snell, Global Clinical Expert, Respiratory Medicine, AstraZeneca. In the afternoon, there will be practical interactive sessions, where participants will gain a greater understanding of the impact of TB, the aims of the plan and how they can contribute to achieving it. The event will culminate in a rallying call from a former TB patient calling for urgent action to meet universal targets to stop TB.