Tuberculosis emergency declared by WHO

AFRICA: Tuberculosis emergency declared by WHO

JOHANNESBURG, 26 Aug 2005 (PLUSNEWS) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared tuberculosis (TB) an emergency in Africa, according to a senior WHO official.

The declaration was made in a resolution adopted by African health ministers at the WHO 55th Regional Committee meeting in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, after research showed that cases of the pulmonary disease had tripled in countries with high rates of HIV/AIDS.

Mario Raviglione, WHO's 'Stop TB' department director, told reporters that "the resolution urges, among other things, immediate measures by member states to implement emergency strategies, and to intensify actions in the fight against the disease".

The UN health agency said TB was the world's second largest infectious killer after AIDS, causing an estimated two million deaths every year.

[ENDS]

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