Plight of Romania’s TB fight
The difficulty faced fighting tuberculosis (TB) in Romania has been highlighted this week in a video produced for Al Jazeera. The short but highly informative news item notes how the dual problem of a lack of adequate funding combined with entrenched social stigma make fighting the disease incredibly difficult.
Many TB patients simply don’t want to believe that they have TB due to the associated stigma, something which also means that many do not get treated. This is exacerbated by the fact that there is not enough funding to screen patients or check that patients are finishing their course. Romania spends only $6 million on tackling TB, well below the $22 million the World Health Organisation suggest is necessary.
There are civil society organisations and activists who are doing all they can to change attitudes and ensure that patients get the treatment they need. However, this must be combined with greater political will and increased funding if we hope to eradicate TB fully.
Source: TB Europe Coalition
