Response to multidrug resistant tuberculosis has been too slow

Global efforts to scale up treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are being hampered by weak government action, a lack of funds, and a sluggish response by international support mechanisms, says a report by three medical advocacy groups.

“We found that a lack of urgency and commitment from governments is a major stumbling block,” said Javid Syed, TB/HIV project director at Treatment Action Group (TAG).

The report, compiled by TAG, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Partners In Health (PIH), examines the challenges faced in three affected countries—South Africa, India, and Russia. It concludes that progress has been slow in the fight against MDR-TB.

Each year the disease infects 440 000 people worldwide, and has killed over 1.5 million people over the past decade, the …