Written Answers | International Development: Tuberculosis

Andrew George (St Ives, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of progress towards meeting UN Millennium Development Goal 6 on tuberculosis; and whether he expects the 2015 targets to be met.

Stephen O’Brien (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, International Development; Eddisbury, Conservative)

Significant progress has been made since 1995, with 41 million patients successfully treated underDOTS resulting in 6 million lives saved. Globally, rates of incidence, prevalence and mortality are declining. Incidence rates are falling slowly by 1% a year, following a peak at 140 cases per 100,000 population (2004). Mortality rates have fallen by one third since 1990, and prevalence rates are also in decline. WHOprojections indicate that the target of halving mortality by 2015 compared with 1990 would be achieved at global level.

The target of halving prevalence by 2015 may present challenges at the global level due to slower than expected progress in the African and South East Asian regions. Halving of prevalence has already been achieved in the Americas. WHO projections suggest that the Western Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean are on track. The European Region may achieve the target by 2015.