BRICS countries call for united action to advance global progress against tuberculosis

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2014-07-15

Russia

 "TB prevention and control in the Russian Federation is a top national priority. The last seven years, the government assured regular and adequate allocation of financing for TB control related activities and for continuous improvements in the healthcare of TB patients. Such commitment of the government resulted in an almost 50 percent decline in TB related mortality as compared to its level in 2005," said Professor Veronika Skvortsova, minister of health of the Russian Federation.

"Presently, the major objectives are: identification of all TB cases, early diagnosis, timely and high-quality treatment together with appropriate social support for all categories of patients. Special attention must be given to MDR-TB and TB/HIV co-infected patients.

 “But we are well aware that given the trends of the modern world to globalization and increased migration flows, defeating alone such a formidable foe as tuberculosis becomes an impossible task. BRICS countries could give an example of strengthening of cooperation and partnership for TB control."

India

The Revised National TB Control Programme has been hailed as one of the most successful public health programmes in the world. Since inception, the country has placed more than 17 million patients on treatment, thus saving more than 3 million additional lives. India is well on its way to achieving TB related MDGs. The programme for drug resistant TB was scaled up to the entire country by January 2013, which has placed more than 45,000 patients on treatment. Despite these achievements, several challenges still need to be addressed.

Speaking at the jubilee celebration of the Tuberculosis Association of India in February, the president of India, Pranab Mukherjee, said, "Global tuberculosis control is unattainable without controlling the incidence of the disease in India." He called for universal access focusing on improved diagnosis of TB patients, vigorously expanding case-finding efforts among the vulnerable, and deploying better diagnostics. "I would urge all the stakeholders to contribute to this noble cause so that the scourge of tuberculosis ceases to be a public health problem in India," said the president.