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The presence of HIV/AIDS has slowed efforts to control tuberculosis (TB) in Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report released ahead of World TB Day on 24 March.
According to its 'Global Tuberculosis Control 2006' report, three of the world's six regions, one of which was Africa, would not reach TB control targets of WHO's Global Plan to curb the disease.
The US $56 billion plan, launched in January last year, encouraged greater involvement by various governments in order to halve TB prevalence and death rates, saving 14 million lives by 2015.
However, according to the UN health agency, "there is concern that African leaders are still failing to seriously invest in TB control".
WHO Director-General Dr Lee Jong-wook appealed for greater planning, backed by more funding from African countries and donors.
"There is clear evidence that investment in TB control works," he pointed out. "Even in low-income countries with enormous financial constraints, programmes are operating effectively and producing results."
WHO estimated that, globally, the pulmonary disease had claimed 1.7 million lives in 2004, with almost nine million new infections in the same period.
Access the full report: www.who.int
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