Media advisory: WHO/Europe's action plan on drug-resistant tuberculosis could save 120 000 lives

Media Advisory issued by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and Stop TB Partnership

BACKGROUND:

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is spreading at an alarming rate, especially in Europe. The nine countries with the world's highest rates of TB drug resistance are in the World Health Organization's European Region. A man-made phenomenon, drug-resistant TB is more expensive and difficult to treat than drug-susceptible TB. Today in some places in the region, four out of ten newly diagnosed patients have MDR-TB.

European ministers from 53 countries are set to endorse a new action plan to address MDR-TB the week of 12-15 September 2011 at the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Baku, Azerbaijan.

WHAT:

Press briefing on WHO/Europe's action plan for MDR-TB

WHO:

Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Secretary, Stop TB Partnership
Dr Ogtay Gozalov, Medical Officer, WHO/Europe
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, Head of TB Section, Health Protection Services
Anna Watterson, London barrister and former MDR-TB patient

WHEN:

Tuesday, September 13 at 11:00 – Registration from 10:30
 (Embargo lifts on Wednesday, September 14th 00:01)

WHERE:

The Stafford London Kempinski
St James's Place
SW1A 1NJ
London, United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7493 0111

For more information, please contact:

In London

Cathy Bartley Media consultant
Tel: +44 208 694 9138 / +44 7958 561 671
Email: cathy.bartley@bartley-robbs.co.uk

For more information on the action plan, please contact:

Liuba Negru
Communications Officer
WHO/Europe
Tel.: +45 3917 1344
Mobile: +45 2045 9274
E-mail: LNE@euro.who.int