Harsh Vardhan to urge global experts to unite for fighting TB

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will urge global healthcare experts to unite to fight the real threat of tuberculosis (TB) during his visit to Spain where he is slated to attend some of the important international healthcare events. The minister will deliver the keynote address at the World Health Organization (WHO)’s symposium on tuberculosis entitled ‘Moving out of the box to end global TB epidemic: With post-2015 strategy’.
 
In his address, Dr Harsh Vardhan will stress the importance of community driven solutions to TB, the disease which is considered the biggest killer worldwide. Its incidence is the highest in India, a country which reports 230 cases per 1 lakh population.
 
“I look forward to this visit because I have already geared up the Ministry to accept the challenge of eliminating the TB scourge and meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) by 2015,” said Dr Harsh Vardhan before leaving.
 
He said he would highlight the need for building up community-led action strategies for fighting TB in all parts of the world, including India. “The highest priority accorded to our anti-TB drive by making mandatory notification of TB cases, banning of commercial serological diagnostic tests for TB, web-based notification and tracking of cases, restriction of open market sales of TB drugs and prevention of irrational use, have already caught the imagination of global experts,” the Minister pointed out.
 
During his four-day stay in Spain, the Minister will also address delegates at the World Conference on Lung Health. He will meet with the Health Minister of South Africa, Aaron Motsoaledi, along with representatives of the STOP TB Partnership & Results. He will also co-chair a high-level meeting of the BRICS forum with Motsoaledi.
 
Organ donation, which is highest in Spain, will also feature in Dr Harsh Vardhan tour agenda. The minister is expected to discuss the possibilities of a memorandum of understanding with the National Transplant Organisation of the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality of Spain for sharing of knowledge on organ donation.