Statement from UK political leaders

World tuberculosis (TB) Day (24th March 2012) provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made in recent years in the fight against diseases of poverty like TB, but also to highlight the challenges that we still face.

Since 1995 nearly 50 million people have been successfully treated for tuberculosis worldwide, saving almost 7 million lives. Recently there has also been significant progress in the development of new tools to tackle TB like diagnostics that will be vital to the aspiration of eradicating the disease in the future.

Despite such progress however, challenges remain as TB continues to kill over 3,800 people daily, despite being treatable and curable. TB is still a leading cause of death among people living with HIV and drug resistant strains of the disease continue to rise globally. We remain committed to addressing tuberculosis and will continue to seek to stay ahead of the disease as it evolves and builds resistance.

Support for high impact organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has saved millions of lives since its establishment a decade ago will also be critical going forward.

In the 21st century we cannot stand by and watch millions die from this curable disease, action to control TB is a moral imperative; together we can fight and win the battle against it.

Secretary of State for International Development, Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Conservative Party

Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Ivan Lewis MP, Labour Party

Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on International Affairs, Martin Horwood MP, Liberal Democrats

An Early Day Motion (EDM), which is a form of petition for parliamentarians, was also submitted and signed by over thirty MP’s that reiterated their long term commitment to tackling TB in the UK and globally.

On Wednesday 21st March 2012, the APPG on Global TB held a meeting to mark World TB Day (24th March) in the houses of parliament with parliamentarians and leading TB experts to discuss the neglected issue of childhood tuberculosis.

For further information on the joint statement, EDM and activities of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis visit www.appg-tb.org.uk