A children's advocacy group says tuberculosis is increasing around the world at a dangerous rate, and they say that the U.S. needs to increase spending to combat the disease. KPFA's Bill Heath has more.
Bill Heath: According to the international child advocacy organization RESULTS, more than two billion people worldwide are currently affected with tuberculosis, more commonly known as TB. RESULTS says 98 percent of those affected are treatable with standard drugs currently available. But two percent of the TB population is not responding because of the multiple strains that have developed in the past few years. Most TB case in the world are located in Asian and African nations, but high numbers are starting to be reported right here in the United States. Joel Rubinstein is a member of RESULTS.
Joel Rubinstein: Even if we could somehow miraculously stop the spread of TB there are going to be 200 million cases of TB just with the people who are infected. worldwide. Most of the infections are in poor — poorer countries in Asia and Africa, but not all, there are cases right here in the United States.
Bill Heath: Where are those cases located primarily? Are —
Joel Rubinstein: Primarily in cities with lots of immigrants, the number one state in terms of TB cases per capita is Hawaii; California is second, and New York City, Houston Texas, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose are some of the cities in the top ten.
Bill Heath: Rubinstein says the challenge is to convince Congress to respond to TB by passing a foreign aid appropriation of $100 million dollars introduced by Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. Rubinstein said there is plenty of money available within the foreign aid budget. He believes it's a matter of prioritizing. Rubinstein says that spending for counternarcotics concerns in countries like Colombia could be rerouted to combating diseases. Reporting for KPFA news, I'm Bill Heath.