March 24, 2015 – According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest infectious killer worldwide. Women and children are at particular risk. Tuberculosis is one of the top killers of women of reproductive age. In 2013, more than half a million children became ill with this disease, yet, fewer than half of them received treatment due to the limitations of diagnostic tools. Thanks to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s leadership on maternal, newborn and child health, Canada is helping to change that.
Since 2010, Canada has contributed more than $6 billion to improving the health of women and children worldwide. Our efforts focus on three pillars: strengthening health systems, reducing the burden of disease, including through immunization, and improving nutrition. The fight against tuberculosis is a great example of an area where Canada’s leadership has translated into significant results.
One of Canada’s key partners on maternal, newborn and child health is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an innovative international health financing partnership that includes governments, private foundations, civil society and the private sector. In 2013, Prime Minister Harper pledged $650 million to the Global Fund over three years, representing an increase of over 20 percent from our last replenishment contribution in 2010. The Global Fund supports country-led programs against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and provides almost 90 percent of all international financing to fight tuberculosis. With programs in more than 140 countries, the Global Fund has reached 7.3 million people with antiretroviral therapy for AIDS, tested and treated 12.3 million people for tuberculosis, and distributed 450 million insecticide-treated nets to protect families against malaria. The number of people treated for multi-drug resistant TB through the Global Fund rose by 39 percent in the past year.
On World Tuberculosis Day, Canada reaffirms its commitment to fighting this preventable disease and supporting efforts to reach the three million people with tuberculosis, particularly women and children, who are missed by conventional tuberculosis programs each year.
Christian Paradis
Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @DFATD_DEV
Like us on Facebook: Canada is Dedicated to International Development - DFATD
