New figures show alarming trends in TB financing
Despite the critical need for increased TB resources, donor funding for TB decreased by nearly 10% in 2014.
16 July 2015 – Geneva, Switzerland - The Stop TB Partnership is calling on the world to renew commitments to funding the global fight against tuberculosis as the UN Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa concludes, where leaders discussed financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A new TB financing fact sheet released by the Partnership,
‘Racing to the End TB Finish Line’, shows that low-income high-burden TB countries (HBCs) need
increased international support, while many lower-middle income
HBCs are failing to step up with the needed domestic
investments. In the eight low-income HBCs, domestic funding
represents less than 7% of National TB budget needs, and in the
nine lower-middle income HBCs, domestic funding represents less
than 26% of National TB budget needs.
“The
Financing for Development Conference was a key moment for the
global community to confirm its commitment to financing global
health” said Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Secretary for the
Stop TB Partnership. “Tuberculosis kills 4000 people every
day and if we want to end TB, we must ensure that domestic
investments step up to address TB challenges”.
“While
the BRICS countries have benefited from strong economic growth
and have prioritized domestic investments in TB, other countries
with major TB burdens are still heavily dependent on external
financing for their TB programs. Tuberculosis has devastated the
economies of many of these countries, where the treatment of one
person with drug-resistant TB can cost over $10,000 and primary
health care systems struggle to cope with the TB epidemic."
"It’s
the responsibility of all of us to ensure the world has the
needed resources to meet the goal to end TB by 2035. It is
alarming that domestic investments are low where they are needed
the most. In addition, new figures released by the IHME show a
worrying 9.2% decrease in international support for TB at a time
when the world has agreed to the most ambitious goals against TB
in history.”
Additional details on the
Financing for Development Conference can be found
here.
Download the new Stop TB Partnership Fact Sheet on
TB Financing
here.
Source:
Stop TB Partnership
