No let up in tuberculosis scourge, but funding dips
NY group's report shames India for not being among top funders
The scourge of tuberculosis (TB) continues to take thousands of lives every day across the world.
Regardless of the gravity of the illness, the latest report released by an independent New York-based Treatment Action Group (TAG) reveals that global funding for fighting the disease has dipped starkly.
The report states that for the first time in eight years, the funding that arrives from over 85 donors world over for tuberculosis treatment and research has dropped by close to five percent.
While in 2011 annual spending on TB was $657.8 mn, this has come down to $627.4 mn in 2012. “The spending is nowhere close to the $2 bn annual funding target outlined in the 2011-2015 Global Plan to eliminate TB. It pales in comparison to highly-kept targets for tackling the disease.
Moreover, the funding has dipped,” said Lucica Ditiu, executive secretary of Stop TB partnership.
In 2011, the World Health Organisation reported 8.7 million new TB cases and 1.4 million deaths world over. The infection scourge shows no signs of decrease at this rate. The report further criticizes the pullout of the private sector from funding TB-related research like generating newer diagnostic techniques, vaccines and drugs. The sharpest drop in funding has come from the private sector (22.1%) in 2012 as compared to last year.
The report shamed India by mentioning that it does not figure in the top ten funders of TB despite having the largest number of cases. India is home to an estimated 64,000 multi-drug resistant TB cases, the highest in the world.
While Rs710 crore has been set aside by the Indian government this year for tackling TB, the national funding has not been increased since 2011. “We will have thirty GeneXpert, a machine that allows rapid detection of MDR-TB cases, in fifty labs. By 2017, every district will have GeneXpert facilities. The government funding has not been increased but it has remained the same,” said Anshu Prakash, principal secretary, Union health ministry.
In numbers
$2 bn is the annual funding target outlined in the 2011-2015 Global Plan to eliminate TB
Funding for 2012 represents just 31.4% of this target
The spending in 2012 was $ 627.4 mn.
For first time in eight years, the funding has reduced.
India has 64,000 estimated MDR-TB cases, and is home to largest number of cases in the world
The Union Health Ministry of India has set aside a budget of Rs710 cr to tackle TB.
The allocation remains same as last year in spite of rising detection of TB cases.
It has gone down by five percent as compared to $657.8 million in 2011.
Source: DNA
