WHO and U.S. Officials Meet to Discuss Funding to Combat XDR-TB

Paul Nunn, coordinator of the World Health Organization's tuberculosis drug-resistant unit, this week met with U.S. officials and members of Congress in Washington, D.C., to discuss funding to combat extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis -- TB that is resistant to first- and second-line drugs -- VOA News reports.

According to Nunn, the "baseline figure" required to combat XDR-TB in Africa is roughly $300 million over "the next year or so." About half of that money is required to reinforce basic TB control, and one-third is needed to provide treatment for people living with the disease, Nunn said.

He also added that the money also would go toward paying for the staff and transportation required to find and provide treatment for people with TB in rural areas, which would prevent the development of XDR-TB. It is not clear how much the U.S. can commit to XDR-TB because the federal budget has not been finalized, VOA News reports.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

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