Dr Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, Executive Director, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)
“While it’s heartening to see some positive trends in our battle against TB, we must confront a harsh reality: despite our efforts, we are merely treading water, failing to make significant strides toward our goal of ending TB.
“To create a world free from TB, we must urgently address the areas where we continue to fall short. Currently, we’re diagnosing only 48% of the individuals needed to meet the 90% target. This is unacceptable. We must ramp up testing, ensure timely diagnosis, and support effective treatment to turn these numbers around and accelerate the reduction in the global TB incidence rate.
“There are no more excuses. We possess the tools and knowledge necessary to eradicate this preventable and curable disease. It’s time for us to be bold and acknowledge that our current strategy is not yielding the results we need - this is a profound injustice.
“The Union calls on world leaders and donors to significantly increase funding and fulfil their commitment to end TB. We have only seen 26% of the needed funding committed to date – the remaining $16 billion is crucial to seeing the global end to this disease.
“Together, let’s break the cycle of transmission and pave the way for a TB-free world. The time for action is now.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Union
Established in 1920 as the world’s first global health organisation the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is committed to eradicating tuberculosis and lung disease, leading to a healthier world for all. Its members, staff, and consultants work in more than 140 countries globally.
The Union is a global membership, technical and scientific organization, striving to end suffering due to tuberculosis and lung diseases by advancing better prevention and care. We seek to achieve this by the generation, dissemination and implementation of knowledge into policy and practice.
The Union’s approach to tackling global health problems is unique – KNOW. SHARE. ACT. We start with developing knowledge through global research (KNOW), which we then share as widely as possible (SHARE) and turn that into the real action to save lives on a local level (ACT).
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