LONDON, October 30 2017: New figures released by the WHO in the Global Tuberculosis Report 2017 show that global efforts to eradicate TB, the world’s deadliest infectious disease, are stagnant.  The world’s half-hearted response led to TB overtaking HIV as the world’s deadliest infectious disease two years ago. According to this year’s report, released today, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB in 2016 – 600,000 of which were drug-resistant – and that 1.7 million people died from the disease.

Aaron Oxley, Executive Director of RESULTS said:

“I always dread the day this report is released as for all our progress and heroic efforts, progress in the fight against TB seem to be stuck: more cases, more deaths and more drug-resistance. The more we look, the more we find.

What’s new is that in the next year we have unprecedented opportunities to trigger a dramatic shift in the global response, starting with the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB in Moscow in just a couple of weeks time. This is followed by the first ever UN High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis in 2018 where Heads of State will address the issue.”

He added:

“The High Level Meeting on TB can be the landmark moment where World Leaders stand up to declare they will be the group that finally ends this disease once and for all, and we call on all governments to not only attend the meeting but to make bold and world-changing commitments to end TB.”

The world’s Health Ministers have already endorsed the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to End TB, and with the companion Global Plan to End TB the existing gaps in the response are clear. They include shortfalls in funding for research and development for new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines, as well as the need to dramatically scale up TB control efforts.

ENDS

For further information, please contact Tom Maguire on [email protected] or on 02077933970.

RESULTS UK is a movement of passionate, committed, everyday people who together use their voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty. For more information please visit www.results.org.uk.