US renews pledge to help implement global plan to control TB: Envoy

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The United States (US) has reaffirmed its pledge to work with the countries and the international community to successfully implement the global plan to combat TB (tuberculosis), reports UNB.
"The lives of millions of people across the globe depend on true international cooperation," US Ambassador James F Moriarty said in a message on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day to be observed Tuesday (March 24).
The ambassador stated that almost a century ago, America was locked in a battle against tuberculosis (TB), which killed thousands annually and was one of the leading causes of death in the US.
"Today, even though a cure for drug-sensitive TB has existed for more than 50 years, TB remains second only to HIV among infectious killers worldwide," he said.
Ambassador Moriarty said it is a disease, which hits the poorest and most vulnerable groups, especially women and children. "This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) recognises a day each year, World Tuberculosis Day on March 24th, to call attention to the disease and to mobilise action to combat it."
He noted that one-third of the world's population is infected with dormant TB.
The Ambassador further said, "Approximately 9.2 million people develop the active form of the disease each year. This highly contagious active form spreads through the air from one person to another through coughing and sneezing. About 1.7 million people die annually of TB."
He said the American people are making major investments to prevent and control TB in countries around the world where the burden of the disease is highest.
"Through our active engagement in the STOP TB Partnership, we are a key partner to intense global efforts to achieve the Partnership's Global Plan targets to halve TB prevalence and deaths by 2015 relative to 1990 levels. Achieving this goal could save 14 million lives, not to mention the economic benefits for nations."