Global tuberculosis report: TB care and control saves 20 million lives

WHO recently launched the Global tuberculosis report 2012 which estimates that 20 million people are alive today as a direct result of tuberculosis (TB) care and control.

The new report collects data from 204 countries and territories and covers all aspects of TB, including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), TB/HIV, research and development and TB financing. Country successes are highlighted as well as a warning that the global fight against the disease is critical as TB remains a major infectious killer today.

Tools to prevent, detect and treat all forms of TB are steadily advancing through the research and development process, but they come at a cost. The report notes that there is a US$ 1.4 billion funding gap per year for research and development, in addition to a further US$ 3 billion per year funding shortfall between 2013 and 2015 which could have severe consequences for TB control.