In 2012 about half a million people contracted multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), but only one in four of these cases was properly diagnosed.
"Earlier and faster diagnosis of all forms of TB is vital," Doctor Margaret Chan, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, said in a news release. "It improves the chances of people getting the right treatment and being cured, and it helps stop spread of drug-resistant disease."
In a new international initiative 27 countries have vowed to make progress in diagnosing MDR-TB in honor of the upcoming World TB Day on March 24.
The project, dubbed EXPAND-TB (Expanding Access to New Diagnostics for TB), hopes to triple the number of correct TB diagnoses in the participating countries.
"The MDR-TB story is being transformed by a fertile mix of collaborators, including those working on access to diagnosis," Philippe Meunier, the French Government's Ambassador for the fight against HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases, said in the news release. "Increased capacity and reduced prices mean more patients can be served, and global health risks would be diminished."
In many countries there is only one laboratory capable of testing TB samples, and in some cases the samples even have to be sent outside of the country.
Over 30 percent of the MDR-TB cases diagnosed in 2012 were in EXPAND-TB countries. Ninety percent of India's diagnosed cases were through the program.
UNITAID provided $ 87 million to support the EXPAND-TB multi-partner project in 2009. The money went to helping the participating countries gain access to better diagnostic technologies for TB.
"The gap in access to TB diagnostics and care is far from filled, but is narrowing. With the impetus of modern laboratories, we are on the right track finally to handle MDR-TB," Doctor Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO's Global TB Programme, said in the news release.
