24th March 2010 sees the celebration of WORLD TB DAY! With the launch of the UK Coalition to Stop TB’s new campaign ’TB: A Disease of the Past? Action Now!’ being launched today, the coalition aims to challenge the UK Government on the eve of a general election, to prioritise tuberculosis on the domestic and global health agendas, and take the lead in the international response to fight TB.

Gordon Brown MP, Leader of the Labour Party, Prime Minister

“Tuberculosis kills 5,000 people every day in the world’s poorest countries. But together we can stop it. The UK is providing unprecedented support to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, which has already helped to treat 5.4 million people with TB. As well as providing treatment we must stay ahead of the disease as it evolves and builds resistance. That’s why we’re investing £30 million to support the discovery and development of new and more effective drugs. We are determined to beat Tuberculosis.”

David Cameron MP, Leader of the Conservative Party

“World TB Day 2010 should prompt the world to focus on the urgent steps needed to reverse the spread of this disease. We need to build strong health systems in developing countries, tackle HIV/AIDS, and work to counter the growing threat of drug-resistance. In a globalised world, action to tackle killer diseases like TB, in the UK and abroad, is both a moral imperative and an urgent national security priority.”

Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party

“The rising incidence of TB, especially of drug-resistant forms of the disease, both at home and around the world is truly worrying. It’s the world’s most vulnerable people who suffer most from the disease – particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa and those living with HIV/AIDS. It is a scandal that, despite some progress, the Millennium Development Goal to halt the spread of TB will not be met on current form.

We have an enormous moral responsibility to people in developing countries; this is why we support the Global Plan to Stop TB. We’d make sure the UK pays its fair share towards implementing the plan. We also recognise the link between HIV/AIDS and TB – we would make sure DFID takes a comprehensive approach to addressing these diseases and would continue to promote research into new diagnostic tools, treatments and vaccines.”

With only five years remaining to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), almost 5,000 people will continue to die from tuberculosis every day. Now is the time to take action!

At 12pm on 24th March 2010 the UK Coalition to Stop TB delivered their TB Election Asks to No.10 Downing Street. Kibble Ngalauka, Executive Director of the Sue Ryder Foundation, Malawi and Aparna Barua, coordinator of the UK Coalition to Stop TB were present alongside Clare Shaw from Target Tuberculosis and Mike Smith, coordinator of the APPG on Global TB.