ECDC Director Marc Sprenger: TB control – a “common responsibility”
While many European countries are progressing towards TB elimination, the target of less than 1 TB case/1,000,000 population is still far from being achieved everywhere.
This was one of the messages presented today by ECDC Director Marc Sprenger during the joint session with WHO "Towards elimination of tuberculosis" at the European Respiratory Society annual congress.
Marc Sprenger discussed the challenges to reach the elimination of tuberculosis from a European perspective. Due to the diversity in Europe, Member States need to develop tailored approaches in TB control. For example some “low incidence countries, with an incidence of TB well below the EU average of 14.6 cases per 100.000 population, have a disproportionate incidence of TB cases in their larger cities”, he added.
“We must embrace the concept of common responsibility between high burden and low burden countries, creating a platform for a truly global action against TB’, concluded the ECDC Director. ‘This is why I am particularly pleased that ECDC and the European Respiratory Society have developed 21 patient-centred standards that aim to guide clinicians and public health workers in their daily work to ensure optimal diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB in the EU”.
Related links
European Standards for TB Care, European Respiratory Journal
ECDC Director presentation: ‘Towards the elimination of TB: challenges ahead from a European perspective’
Progressing towards TB elimination, ECDC special report
Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2012, ECDC surveillance report
ECDC
