New Medical Diagnostic to Revolutionize Fight Against TB, One of the World’s Biggest Killers
ACTION
The World Health Organization today endorsed Xpert MTB/RIF, a revolutionary new technology that, if taken to scale in endemic countries, could completely change the public health approach to diagnosing and treating tuberculosis (TB), which remains one of the greatest killers on the planet.
WHO Endorses Rapid Tuberculosis Test
http://www.who.int/
The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed a new and novel rapid test for tuberculosis (TB), especially relevant in countries most affected by the disease. The test could revolutionize TB care and control by providing an accurate diagnosis for many patients in about 100 minutes, compared to current tests that can take up to three months to have results.
Global Fund Replenishment Meeting Ends with Massive Funding Shortfall; Lives Hang in the Balance
RESULTS Educational Fund
At the conclusion replenishment meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today in New York, donors fell far short of investing the $20 billion needed to fully fund the fight against the three pandemics. Instead of the doubling of funding commitments needed to accelerate HIV, TB and malaria program scale up, countries announced initial increases averaging approximately 25%--or, in the case of some donors, did not pledge at all. This shortfall, unless corrected, will mean that the Global Fund will have to reject high quality country proposals, and dramatically slow down the pace of scale up.
Living With AIDS, Dying of TB
One in four deaths among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) results from tuberculosis (TB). Despite being the leading infectious killer of PLHA, the percentage of PLHA that are regularly screened for TB has increased from 0.6 percent to only 4.1 percent since 2004.
New Report Finds Significant Investments in Broad Sector-Wide Approaches Are Not Producing Intended
http://www.action.org
A new report released today shows that the World Bank and other development agencies have invested billions of dollars over the last decade in an approach to health that is not achieving intended outcomes.
Cross-country Laboratory Network to Raise East Africa’s Defenses Against Disease
web.worldbank.org
The World Bank recently approved US$63.66 million for the East Africa Public Health Laboratory Networking Project which aims to establish an urgently needed network of high-quality public health laboratories. The laboratories will improve access to diagnostic services among vulnerable populations living in the cross-border areas of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
