G8 leaders have pledged to continue supporting WHO and its partners in their efforts to combat tuberculosis. In the 2006 G8 Summit final document, leaders stated that they are "determined to achieve tangible progress" by supporting the Global Plan to Stop TB and other key areas of focus in TB control.
"This represents one of the strongest endorsements yet for the Global Plan to Stop TB, and also for the efforts of WHO and our partners. We look forward to closer collaboration with G8 countries to ensure their determination for progress is matched by successes in reducing the burden of TB deaths," said Dr Mario Raviglione, WHO Stop TB Director.
An edited version of the final document highlighting TB references is outlined below.
Fight against infectious diseases
St. Petersburg, July 16, 2006
1. A vigorous response to the threat of infectious diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide, is essential to global development and to the well-being of the world's population. Major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and measles continue to exact a heavy toll on economies and societies around the world, particularly in developing countries, impeding achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)… Effective, coordinated and comprehensive action is necessary to combat all infectious diseases.
2. To address these challenges, we, the G8 Leaders, are determined to achieve tangible progress in the following areas:
- fulfillment of prior G8 commitments on the major infectious diseases, in particular by mobilizing support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria;
- supporting the Global Plan to Stop TB;
- improved access to prevention and treatment of diseases for those in need, through assistance programs focused on strengthening the capacity of health systems and the training, deployment, and retention of qualified health workers;
- and through innovative clinical research programs, private-public partnerships, and other innovative mechanisms;
- support for efforts by work with relevant international organizations to mitigate the health consequences of emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters, including through better coordination and capacity building.
Combating HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
14. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria cause millions of preventable deaths each year and undermine socio-economic development in many parts of the world, especially in Africa. We pledge our continued support to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the WHO, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund), the World Bank and other organizations, initiatives and partnerships actively working to fight these diseases.
18. The Global Fund is an important instrument… We will work with other donors and stakeholders in the effort to secure funds needed for the 2006-2007 replenishment period and call upon all concerned to participate actively in the development of a four-year strategy, aimed at building a solid foundation for the activities of the Fund in the years ahead.
The G8 members will work with governments and technical agencies to support the preparation of high quality, timely proposals for Global Fund AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grants.
19. The impact of HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria has been particularly severe in Africa, where these three deadly diseases exist side-by-side with a plethora of other deadly, endemic infections. Efforts by African nations to deal with these problems, strengthen their public and private healthcare systems and reduce the likelihood of epidemics on the continent require continued meaningful and concerted support from the international community. We reaffirm our partnership with African nations and with the African Union, and will continue to work with them to deliver on the goals of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), to improve health systems overall and to fight infectious diseases.
21. One-third of the world's population is exposed to the risk of contracting TB, which claims about two million lives each year. In certain regions, it affects more people today than it did twenty years ago. We reaffirm the commitment we made at the Genoa Summit in 2001 to halt the spread of this disease. We will also support the Global Plan to Stop TB, 2006-2015, which aims to cut TB deaths in half by the year 2015 compared to 1990 levels, saving some 14 million lives over ten years, and call upon all donors and stakeholders to contribute to its effective implementation.
22. We note with concern the rate of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis co-infection and seek to promote unified coordination for activities in this regard.
25. Finally, we commit ourselves to a regular review of our work in the field of tackling these three pandemics.
Access to Prevention, Treatment and Care
34. We call for a wider use of strategies and tools that promote investment in the research, development and production of vaccines, microbicides and drugs for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases, and that assist in scaling up access to these means of prevention and treatment through innovative clinical research programs, private-public partnerships and other innovative mechanisms. In this regard, we take note of the steps taken on voluntary innovating financing mechanisms and other funding initiatives…
35. We call for wider recognition of the rapidly increasing problem of antimicrobial drug resistance that has already rendered a growing number of infectious diseases harder and more costly to treat with available drugs. We encourage increased mobilization of efforts to address this problem of global dimensions.