UN AGREES ON GLOBAL PLAN TO BATTLE TB

About:

• The text of a final declaration will be formally adopted at the first-ever TB summit on September 26 in New York.
  
  
• At the summit world leaders will commit to end the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030 and come up with USD 13 billion annually to achieve that goal, according to the 53-point final declaration.
  
  
• An additional USD 2 billion will be spent globally to fund tuberculosis research — up from USD 700 million currently.
  
  
• The final declaration is an improvement from the first draft.
  
  

Background:

• In July, South Africa clashed with the United States over proposals to water down language recognising the right of poorer countries to access cheaper medicines.
  
  
• The contested language referred to the so-called TRIPS trade arrangements dealing with intellectual property rights. A compromise was reached that strengthened references to TRIPS.