Remarks by David C. Mulford, U.S. Ambassador to
India, at the Signing of the U.S. Government and
World Health Organization Joint Statement on
Tuberculosis Control in India, New Delhi
September 26, 2006
It is a pleasure to be here today to announce
over $4 million (19 crore rupees) in U.S. Government
funds for tuberculosis control in India this year. I
am pleased that Dr. Chauhan, who oversees the
Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program, has
also joined us. Also, I would like to thank Dr.
Salim Habayeb of the World Health Organization for
being here as well.
For eight years, the U.S.
Government has supported programs to control
tuberculosis in India through the U.S. Agency for
International Development’s partnership with the
World Health Organization (WHO). This partnership
has helped to strengthen the Government of India’s
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Revised
National Tuberculosis Control Program.
Since 1996, our government has provided $56
million (256 crore rupees) to WHO to combat
infectious diseases in India, $40 million (183 crore
rupees) of which has used for tuberculosis control.
In Haryana alone, this assistance has helped to
improve tuberculosis control and to save over 19,000
additional lives from the disease. We have also
partnered with WHO on other public health efforts in
India such as disease surveillance, polio
eradication, malaria control and avian influenza
preparedness and response. Our partnership has
strengthened public health and helped to provide
leadership for key public health initiatives.
U.S. Government support for tuberculosis control
in India began in Chennai in 1998 with a USAID grant
to support operations research for DOTS (Directly
Observed Treatment, Short course) – a successful
program for diagnosis and treatment. The DOTS
research was used extensively in the design of the
Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program and
the roll-out of DOTS across the country. This year’s
funding will be used for continued support to
India’s National Program.
Our government supports tuberculosis control in
India because of our over-riding value of the
relationship and because of the enormous public
health impact and economic burden of the disease.
Each day, one thousand Indians die from the disease.
It may come as a surprise that tuberculosis is the
leading cause of death within India’s adult
population. Every year, more than 300,000 children
must leave school to take care of sick parents or to
work in place of their parents. Affected families
often lose up to three to four months a year in
household income. Overall, the economic cost of
tuberculosis is estimated to be $3 billion (13.7
thousand crore rupees) each year.
In the battle to control tuberculosis, there are
emerging challenges. Private healthcare providers
must be increasingly involved in country-wide
schemes. Over 50% of AIDS patients in India actually
die from tuberculosis – control programs must
address this deadly nexus. Finally, the issue of
drug resistant strains must be tackled.
The U.S. and Indian Governments are working
together to tackle global issues, including health.
President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
have agreed to expand joint efforts in the area of
science and technology, including medical research
on infectious disease control. U.S. Government
Agencies such as USAID, the National Institutes of
Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention all work closely with counterparts in
India to support research and programs, including
those for tuberculosis, malaria, avian flu, HIV/AIDS
and others. Under USAID alone, support for health
initiatives in India totals over $106 million (
484.9 crore rupees)for this year.
The U.S. partnership with India will help to meet
some of the global health challenges that face
today’s world. I am confident that the longstanding
and fruitful partnership between USAID and WHO to
control infectious diseases, including tuberculosis,
will play a role in meeting these challenges.
Thank you.
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