TB INITIATIVES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Posted by African Press International on June 27, 2008
MEDIA ADVISORY
Two major health initiatives that will have a substantial impact in the fight against the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic will be announced on Monday.
A joint announcement will be made by FIND, the Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID and WHO.
TB is one of the world’s leading killers – second only to HIV/AIDS – with over 1.5 million deaths and nearly 9 million people falling seriously ill with the disease every year. Almost half a million people a year develop multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), a dangerous form of TB that is difficult to treat with standard drugs.
The spread of drug-resistant strains, especially the recent emergence of virtually untreatable extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), threatens to push TB control back into a pre-antibiotic era.
A press pack, including a video news release, will be available.
NEWS CONFERENCE:
When:
Monday, 30 June, 11:30-12:30
Where:
Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Who:
Dr Mario Raviglione, Director, Stop TB Department, WHO
Dr Jorge Bermudez, Executive Secretary, UNITAID
Dr Giorgio Roscigno, Chief Executive Officer, FIND
Robert Matiru, General Manager, Global Drug Facility, Stop TB Partnership
NEWS TELECONFERENCE
When: Monday, 30 June, 1pm(New York)/ 10am (Pacific)/ 6pm (London)
How: To join the call please send your phone contact details to mthroop@results.org and the operator will call out to join you to the call.
Last minute joiners may call toll free 888-684-1264 from the US/Canada or 913-312-1445 and ask for the “MDR TB” call.
Who:
Dr Mario Raviglione, Director, WHO Stop TB Department
Dr Richard O’Brien, Head of Product Evaluation and Demonstration, FIND
Dr Salmaan Keshavjee, Chair, Green Light Committee, MDR-TB Specialist, Partners In Health
Moderator: Dr Joanne Carter, Executive Director (appointed), RESULTS Educational Fund
For more information:
Glenn Thomas, WHO Stop TB Department. Tel:+41795090677, E-mail: thomasg@who.int
Judith Mandelbaum-Schmid, Stop TB Partnership. Tel:+41792546835, E-mail: schmidj@who.int
Audrey Quehen, UNITAID, UNITAID. Tel:+41792012127, E-mail: quehena@who.int
Jewel Thomas, FIND Tel:+41798306364, E-mail: Jewel.thomas@finddiagnostics.org
| Judith Mandelbaum-Schmid – Communications Officer |  |
| Stop TB Partnership Secretariat World Health Organization WHO/STB/TBP 20, Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland |
Telephone: +41227912967 Mobile: +41792546835 Fax: +41 22 791 4886 Email: schmidj@who.int |
| www.stoptb.org | |
The Stop TB Partnership is housed by the
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