Tell Congress: Fight Tuberculosis By Funding the National Action Plan
- by: Aeras
- recipient: Congress
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global epidemic that kills more people than any other single infectious disease agent in the world. Nearly one-third of the world's population is thought to be infected with the bacteria that cause TB, and about 10 percent of them will develop active TB in their lifetime. Approximately 1.5 million people died from TB last year – that's more than 4,000 people every day.
In addition to TB's devastating effect on health, it also can be economically devastating to individuals and their families, many of whom are already living in poverty. The average TB patient loses up to 4 months of work and up to 30 percent of his or her annual income, a particularly hard burden for those who are already struggling financially.
The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB is a tremendous threat to global health, increasing treatment time and costs, and causing serious and painful side effects for patients. Nearly half a million people around the world developed MDR-TB in 2014, and about half of these patients die from it.
The world desperately needs new tools to end the TB epidemic: Better drugs, diagnostics and new vaccines.
That's why Congress needs to fully fund the National Action Plan for Combatting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, the comprehensive plan released by the White House in December 2015. This plan identifies critical actions the U.S. Government will take over a 3- to 5-year period to contribute to the global fight against MDR-TB and the TB epidemic. But Congress must fully fund the plan. You can help.
Tell Congress: Fund the National Action Plan! Will you take 30 seconds to sign the petition and urge your representatives to fund research and development to combat TB.
In addition to TB's devastating effect on health, it also can be economically devastating to individuals and their families, many of whom are already living in poverty. The average TB patient loses up to 4 months of work and up to 30 percent of his or her annual income, a particularly hard burden for those who are already struggling financially.
The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB is a tremendous threat to global health, increasing treatment time and costs, and causing serious and painful side effects for patients. Nearly half a million people around the world developed MDR-TB in 2014, and about half of these patients die from it.
The world desperately needs new tools to end the TB epidemic: Better drugs, diagnostics and new vaccines.
That's why Congress needs to fully fund the National Action Plan for Combatting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, the comprehensive plan released by the White House in December 2015. This plan identifies critical actions the U.S. Government will take over a 3- to 5-year period to contribute to the global fight against MDR-TB and the TB epidemic. But Congress must fully fund the plan. You can help.
Tell Congress: Fund the National Action Plan! Will you take 30 seconds to sign the petition and urge your representatives to fund research and development to combat TB.
To: Congress
I'm standing with Aeras and calling upon you to fully fund the National Action Plan for Combatting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis.
In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the TB epidemic a global health emergency. While important progress has been made since then to expand access to care and improve disease detection, the epidemic continues. TB now kills more people than any other single infectious disease agent in the world.
The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB is a tremendous threat to global health, increasing treatment time and costs, and causing serious and painful side effects for patients. Nearly half a million people around the world developed MDR-TB in 2014, and only about half of these patients recover from it.
The National Action Plan is the next step. It points to the important role of public-private partnerships to support TB R&D for better drugs, diagnostics and vaccines as the best long-term solution to getting to zero deaths, zero new infections and zero suffering. The plan also identifies other critical actions the U.S. Government will take over a 3- to 5-year period to contribute to the global fight against MDR-TB. But these important steps cannot happen without robust funding by Congress.
I urge you to fully fund the National Action Plan to ensure we do everything possible to end this global epidemic.
[Your Comment]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionI'm standing with Aeras and calling upon you to fully fund the National Action Plan for Combatting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis.
In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the TB epidemic a global health emergency. While important progress has been made since then to expand access to care and improve disease detection, the epidemic continues. TB now kills more people than any other single infectious disease agent in the world.
The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB is a tremendous threat to global health, increasing treatment time and costs, and causing serious and painful side effects for patients. Nearly half a million people around the world developed MDR-TB in 2014, and only about half of these patients recover from it.
The National Action Plan is the next step. It points to the important role of public-private partnerships to support TB R&D for better drugs, diagnostics and vaccines as the best long-term solution to getting to zero deaths, zero new infections and zero suffering. The plan also identifies other critical actions the U.S. Government will take over a 3- to 5-year period to contribute to the global fight against MDR-TB. But these important steps cannot happen without robust funding by Congress.
I urge you to fully fund the National Action Plan to ensure we do everything possible to end this global epidemic.
[Your Comment]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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