TB programme contributes toHIV/AIDS control programme

[Guest guest]

Win fight against poverty to control TB: Vajpayee

New Delhi, Mar 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Wednesday called for stepping up the fight against poverty to win the

battle against tuberculosis (TB), which claims half a million lives

every year in India alone.

" To win the battle against TB, we also have to win the battle against

poverty. There is a close link between poverty and disease and this

is true of TB also, " said Vajpayee, addressing the second Stop-TB

Partners Forum meet here.

Vajpayee highlighted the fact that not many people knew that TB was

curable. Yet, two million people die globally of this disease, while

around nine million get infected.

" Even if they know it, they do not always know the absolute necessity

of regular treatment. This makes the task of workers in the TB

control programme truly daunting, " Vajpayee told the meeting attended

by representations from 22 high- burden countries coinciding with the

observance of World TB Day.

Popular Indian music composer A.R. Rahman was selected by the Global

Partnership to Stop TB forum as an " ambassador " to spread awareness

about the need for people with persistent cold, cough and fever over

three weeks to get tested for TB.

People who test positive for the " silent killer disease " have to

undertake treatment for six to eight months.

Over 200 national and international organisations, including the

World Bank and the World Health Organisation, are partnering the meet

that seeks to step up the programme to reach the goal of identifying

at least 70 percent of infectious TB cases globally and an 85 percent

cure rate by 2005.

Over the last four years, India has achieved 70 percent coverage by

bringing 800 million people under the DOTS treatment programme that

has helped prevent around three million infectious cases and saved

500,000 lives.

Stressing that the rich too were not immune from TB, an airborne

disease, Vajpayee said air pollution and smoking were to blame for

half the TB deaths in India.

" Studies reveal that smoking is to blame for half the TB deaths among

Indian men. Obviously, the anti-smoking campaign has to be made more

effective, " he said, urging experts to study how this could be

achieved.

On the funds constraint, Vajpayee urged the other 21 high-burden

nations to join hands for " building long-term partnerships and

developing a mechanism for raising additional resources " .

The TB control programme is part of the Millennium Development Goals

for halving global poverty by 2015.

Case studies in India, Bangladesh and other developing countries show

that " without access to drugs and proper healthcare facilities,

people fall further into poverty " , said Praful Patel, World Bank vice

president for the South Asia Region.

Narrating how his wife had been successfully treated for TB as a

child, Patel said the multilateral organisation was committed to the

global partnership to eradicate the disease.

The World Bank board would soon take up India's request for

continuation of the full range of support for the second phase of the

TB control programme, Patel told reporters.

The additional funding would help India step up technical support,

training and funding for treatment.

According to Patel, the economic losses from TB in India is to the

tune of $3 billion, with around 1,000 tuberculosis related deaths

every day.

" The TB programme makes an important contribution to the HIV/AIDS

control programme, " said J.W. Lee, WHO director general, urging the

need for synchronising both programmes for better results.

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