EU Heads of State snub TB UN meeting

Paidamoyo Chipunza recently in New York, usa
The Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Health — an international health organisation — has expressed concern over the absence of European Heads of State at the first ever High Level Meeting to end Tuberculosis, which took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, last Wednesday.

The Union’s director of strategy and policy Mr Paul Jensen said no Head of State from countries in Europe confirmed attendance to the HLM except for Turkey.
He said there has, however, been tremendous support to the meeting by Heads of State from Japan, Sub-Saharan Africa and philanthropist Mr Bill Gates.

“Ahead of the HLM, we have seen tremendous leadership from Japan, Sub-Saharan Africa and philanthropist Bill Gates in particular, but the fact that as of this morning not a single Head of State from Europe aside from Turkey had confirmed to attend is a huge concern,” said Mr Jensen.

He said for the world to end TB by 2030 in line with global targets, there was need for engagement and deliberations to take place at highest levels.

“Today (last Wednesda, the world will take urgently needed steps towards ending TB, the world infectious disease killer, but for this to become a reality we need to have a serious conversation around TB research and development.

“TB will not be eliminated unless we have better diagnosis, better drugs and an effective vaccine. That conversation must include more high-level involvement from the European Union and from more of the G20 countries. TB is at a crossroads, we cannot tolerate a status quo where investments in TB care from the world’s wealthier countries are low and on the decline,” said Mr Jensen.

Earlier, deputy executive director for the Stop TB partnership Mr Suvanand Sahu had indicated that the world needed $13 billion per year to effectively implement programmes aimed at ending TB as a public health threat by 2030.
He said TB remained one of the biggest public health challenge with an estimated 10 million people developing TB every year.