Progress in TB Diagnosis and Control Slowing

24/03/08 – A new report released by the World Health Organization called Global Tuberculosis Control 2008, says that progress in TB diagnosis and control is slowing. The reason for this slowing of progress is that some national programmes that were making rapid strides during the previous five years have been unable to continue at the same pace in 2006. Moreover, in most African countries there has been no increase in the detection of TB cases through national TB programmes.

“We have entered a new era,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director General. “To make progress, firstly public programmes must be further strengthened. Secondly, we need to fully tap the potential of other service providers. Enlisting these other providers, working in partnership with national programmes, will markedly increase diagnosis and treatment for people in need.

This is the 12th annual WHO report on global TB control, and is based on data given to WHO by 202 countries and territories. There were 9.2 million new cases of TB in 2006, including 700,000 cases among people living with HIV, and 500,000 cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). An estimated 1.5 million people died from TB in 2006. In addition, another 200,000 people with HIV died from HIV-associated TB.

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To read the Global Tuberculosis Control 2008: Full Report click here

The Tuberculosis Survival Project (TBSP) was launched World TB Day 2006. The
project started out with several aims;

1) to raise awareness and provide information about Tuberculosis (TB) and
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

2) to offer a peer support service to those on the TB treatment journey.

3) to provide a facility whereby people can leave their own and read about
each other's experience of having the disease.

4) to provide country specific information so people can learn about what is
going on in their region in regards to the disease.

In Autumn 2007 the aims were expanded to also include;

5) to develop and publish relevant self-help and informative publications
that are 'really useful' to people with TB/MDR-TB.

6) the development of national grassroots patient networks though workshop
delivery and skills sharing.

If you haven't visited this website before, we encourage you to share your
comments and feedback about the usefulness of the website, any country
specific information that could be useful to others, and also invite you to
share your own personal experience of the illness if you are or have been a
patient.

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