Stop TB chief urges PM Narendra Modi to lead global fight against the disease

VARANASI: Executive director (ED) of Stop TB, Dr Lucica Ditiu, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead and inspire other world leaders in the fight against the disease. “We need one leader in this fight against TB,” she said.
Dr Dittu was speaking at the inaugural function of the ‘One World TB Summit’ in Varanasi on Friday.
She remarked that the summit was taking place in one of the oldest cities in the world, Varanasi, to discuss a thousand-year-old disease in the world — tuberculosis or TB.
She said that India has a very high burden of TB but has the best plan, ambition and great implementation of activities. She also explained the importance of the theme — One World One Health. “India is on the road to ending TB by 2025 under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Due to the efforts of countries like India, the number of people who are not getting diagnosis and treatment for TB has gone below three million for the first time in history,” she added.
She praised India’s scale in tackling TB and the TB-Free India initiative, and expressed her belief that India would end TB by 2025. She also informed the gathering about the UN high-level meeting on TB taking place on September 22 during the UN General Assembly in New York, and also requested the Prime Minister’s presence at the meeting.
The function was also addressed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister for health and family welfare Mansukh Mandaviya. Governor Anadiben Patel and deputy chief minister, Brijesh Pathak were also present on the occasion among others.