WHO paints grim picture of global TB (tuberculosis) epidemic
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
By 2020, around one billion people will become infected with tuberculosis (TB), over 150 million will develop symptoms and 36 million will die from the disease, if a concerted effort to control the problem is not made. This is the opinion of the World Health Organization (WHO) which, in a report published last week, renewed calls for wider implementation of its directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) as the best means of tackling the disease. This is based on early diagnosis and close monitoring of treatment, using a network of microscopy and sputum smear testing services.