With tuberculosis killing 1.7 million people in 2016, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) led more than 900 doctors, scientists, and researchers in calling United Nations (UN) Ambassador Nikki Haley to secure “concrete commitments” in this fall’s UN General Assembly High Level Meeting Ending Tuberculosis.
In addition to the fatalities caused, tuberculosis also infected more than 10.4 million, including 1 million children. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of people were infected with strains of tuberculosis that are resistant to first-line drugs or multiple drugs, with just one in nine being successfully treated.
The IDSA letter calls on Haley to provide input for a political declaration that would summarize member states’ agreements on collaborative action during September’s meeting. The resolution should include international commitments to provide additional resources to “prevent, detect, treat, cure and control the spread of tuberculosis worldwide,” the group wrote.
Public health leaders and researchers from around the world also highlighted the need for renewed and expanded commitments to address multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, as well as investments in tuberculosis research and development for new vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.