World TB Day 2009

Writer: Prachi Patel

Today is World Tubercuberculosis Day. It is a day not as widely known and a cause not as widely supported, yet one that affects so many everywhere. So to honor and raise awareness for this day, I wanted to shed a spotlight on the disease, the cause and what is being done around the world.

World TB Day:

World TB Day is observed each year on March 24 to commemorate the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Worldwide, TB remains one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease. An estimated 2 billion persons are infected with M. tuberculosis. In 2006, approximately 9.2 million persons became ill from TB, and 1.7 million died from the disease. World TB Day provides an opportunity for TB programs, nongovernmental organizations, and other partners to describe problems and solutions related to the TB pandemic and to support worldwide TB control efforts. The U.S. theme for this year's observance is Partnerships for TB Elimination. - Center of Disease Control and Prevention 

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for World Tuberculosis Day:

The steps being taken around the world to stop tuberculosis (TB) are having an impact. Today, the epidemic is continuing its decline. But the rate of decline is far too slow, and TB still takes a life every 20 seconds. Millions of people are benefiting from treatment through coordinated national efforts, but millions more are still missing out. Unless we accelerate action, the numbers of those falling ill will continue to grow.

Together, we need to help prevent infection, find all people who are ill far earlier and provide treatment for all. We have a Stop TB Strategy that can do this and a Global Plan to Stop TB that sets the course, but our efforts are falling short.

We must redouble our efforts to fight multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) forms of TB. We must also continue to fight the TB/HIV co-epidemic.

I welcome the commitment of governments, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, foundations and members of the corporate, academic and research communities working to halt and reverse the spread of the disease and stay on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

In this time of economic crisis, we must protect investments in global health, particularly to protect the most vulnerable. Global cooperation in fighting tuberculosis, and all the Millennium Development Goals, must be essential to our task ahead. As we look to the future, we need to build and expand our partnerships to deliver the solutions we know work today. We also need to innovate so we can prevent disease, save lives and enable communities to thrive.

Organizations Making A Difference:

1.) The Global Fund (http://www.theglobalfund.org)
In five years, the Global Fund has become the largest source of external financing for tubeculosis (TB) control efforts globally, providing two thirds of all international funding for TB. As of March 2009 the Global Fund had approved TB grants in 106 countries for a total of US$ 2.43 billion. The results achieved with Global Fund financing of TB programs, are impressive: more than 4.6 million people with TB have been treated under DOTS with Global Fund support.

2.) World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/tb/en/)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

3.) Stop TB Partnership (http://stoptb.org/)
The Stop TB Partnership was established in 1998. Its aim is to realize the goal of eliminating TB as a public health problem and, ultimately, to obtain a world free of TB. It comprises a network of international organizations, countries, donors from the public and private sectors, governmental and nongovernmental organizations and individuals that have expressed an interest in working together to achieve this goal.

What Can You Do:

• Donate to the United Nations Foundation's Stop TB Parnership
  
  The Stop TB Partnership provides free anti-tuberculosis drugs and advice on their use to countries that could otherwise not afford them through its Global Drug Facility. $20 will buy one full treatment for tuberculosis and can save a life. Every contribution makes a difference.

• Donate to the Global Fund
  
  Your contribution will reach people in regions which are most affected by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, thanks to the partnership of the United Nations Foundation and the Global Fund.
   
• Buy Product (Red) 
  
  How can a new iPod? a t-shirt from the Gap or a cup of Starbucks coffee make a difference? (PRODUCT) RED purchases go to Global Fund-financed programs to help eliminate AIDS in Africa, however the Global Fund also finances TB and malaria programs throughout the world.
  
  

I strive to educate myself as much as possible about the cause but I can't always keep up, so I apologize if I missed anything. If you know anything else about TB or organizations are making a difference please post it in the comments.

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