Dr Yaacoub also echoes the concern on sustainable financing, equity, and TB risk factors: "UNHLM on TB should put TB on top of the agenda, not only by signing declarations and commitments to support us by developing ambitious strategic plans, but by securing funding for us to implement these plans and to reach our goal of a TB free world. I would ask them to make all the latest TB diagnostics, medications, and prevention tools, including the vaccines (currently under research), accessible and available to all, in all the countries. In addition, I would ask them to secure funding to fight the social determinants of TB, like poverty and malnutrition, that are the real drivers of TB."
Evaline Kibuchi, Chief National Coordinator of Stop TB Partnership Kenya, also echoes the call for a safe and effective TB vaccine that should be rolled out equitably when available.
It's time to deliver on the #endTB promise
The clock is ticking as the goalpost to end TB draws closer. With less than 88 months left to end TB globally, Molbio Diagnostics co-founder and serial entrepreneur Sriram Natarajan hopes from the upcoming UNHLM for stronger commitments to galvanize the fight against TB. "All said and done, lot of people are dying unnecessarily of TB. These lives could be saved just by introducing the right tools timely and effectively," he said.
The cost of inaction (on fully converting scientific breakthroughs into public health impact) is unacceptable. Failure to universally deploy the WHO recommended standard tools for TB diagnostics and treatments result in missed TB cases, avoidable suffering, and untimely deaths. In addition, the failure to break the chain of infection transmission threatens to reverse the gains made in the fight against TB.
Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant - CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant are part of the editorial team of CNS (Citizen News Service). Both are on the governing board of Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and PRB Public Health Reporting Corps. Follow them on Twitter: @Shobha1Shukla, @BobbyRamakant).
- Shared under Creative Commons (CC)
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