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It kills two million people every year. It is the leading killer of women aged 15 to 45. It is the leading cause of death among those with HIV/AIDS. Fewer than one in three victims are even tested. Yet the treatment has an 85% cure rate and costs as little as $5-20 per person. Tuberculosis (TB) is a global emergency. While the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10 million people have received "directly observed treatment, short course" (DOTS) over the last decade, the impact on stemming TB remains tragically low. Thus, WHO is focused on accelerating case detection, increasing awareness of TB risks and treatment opportunities. PSI is pursuing TB social marketing interventions that leverage PSI's social marketing platforms in several countries, including Georgia, Myanmar and Pakistan. PSI is discussing actively the role of social marketing with WHO's STOP TB program and other global players who want to engage private sector channels on a broader scale. World TB Day 2003 on March 24th provides an opportunity to educate
people about TB. The communication objectives of World TB Day this year
are:
PSI/Myanmar is actively participating in World TB Day, working closely with WHO and the National TB Program to provide expertise with media campaigns and design and developing three World TB Day public service announcements funded by WHO. PSI/Myanmar's five mobile video units will be dedicated to DOTS and World TB Day activities for the week of March 24th. Global events will include ICC World Cup Cricket (February and March
2003) with six high TB countries competing (Bangladesh, India, Kenya,
Pakistan, South Africa and Zimbabwe) as well as three countries that
are key contributors to global TB control efforts (Canada, England and
the Netherlands). The games are to be viewed live by millions around
the world through international broadcast, providing an excellent opportunity
to promote "stop TB" messages. —Meg Galas and Cheryl Kolwicz, PSI/Washington |
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