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VOA Editorials No.6
On March 24th each year, nations around the globe observe World Tuberculosis Day, 1) .10)
This observance commemorates Dr. Robert Koch's 1882 discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes the disease.
Tuberculosis, or TB, is the leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide, infecting one third of the world’s population and killing some 1.5 million. 2)
,20) and access to effective treatments may not be reliable. TB is also the leading killer of people living with HIV.
Prior to the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s, TB was one of the most feared diseases around. 3)
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This year’s theme--Leave no one behind-- aims to make TB treatment accessible for everyone. This means that, as part of the campaign to vanquish TB, we must find a way to end the stigmatization of the victims, and end discriminatory practices against them, thus helping these people overcome the barriers that keep them from accessing medical care.
By addressing the health needs of the disadvantaged, the marginalized, and people out of reach of the health system, 4)
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The United States is committed to fighting tuberculosis. In focusing our efforts in countries where the burden of TB is highest, 5)
.19) Across the federal government, we have made this fight a priority. We continue to partner with the World Health Organization, the Stop TB Partnership, and the Global Drug Facility, to provide important support for TB control activities worldwide and achieve the world’s vision with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Aired: March 24, 2017.
