Hundreds of thousands of cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) can be prevented and as many as 134 000 lives saved through the implementation of a two-year response plan, published/launched Friday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership.
The Global MDR-TB and XDR-TB Response Plan 2007-2008 2007-2008 sets out measures needed now to prevent, treat and control extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB)* and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB)*.
The plan also sets in motion actions to reach a 2015 goal of providing access to drugs and diagnostic tests to all MDR-TB and XDR-TB patients, saving the lives of up to 1.2 million patients.
The plan emphasizes the urgent need to boost basic TB control and target investment in key areas, including:
> strengthening programmes to treat drug- resistant TB
> building capacity in diagnostic laboratories
> expanding infection control and surveillance
> funding research into new and improved diagnostics, drugs and vaccines.
There are an estimated 25 000 to 30 000 new cases of XDR-TB every year. So far, 37 countries have confirmed cases of XDR-TB.
Læs mere: www.who.int
