According to the WHO some 36 million people have been cured of tuberculosis (TB) over the past 15 years through the WHO DOTS/ the Stop TB Strategy. New data, released the 8th of December by the WHO, also indicate that up to 8 million TB deaths have also been averted through this approach. The WHO confirms this as being the most cost-effective approach in the fight against tuberculosis.

Data being retrieved over the last 12 months do show the effects of DOTS programmes. Nevertheless millions of patients are still unable to access high-quality care. In 2008, 1.8 million people died from TB including half a million deaths associated with HIV.

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http://www.stoptb.org/news/stories/globalreportupdatedec.htm.

For more background information please use the following link:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2009/tb_report_20091208/en/index.html.