G8 must fund global plan to make TB history - George

12.00.00am GMT Mon 30th Jan 2006

The new global plan for TB eradication was today welcomed by the Liberal Democrats, but their Shadow International Development Secretary, Andrew George MP, warned that richer countries must be prepared to fund the strategy.

Mr George, who was a keynote speaker at today's launch in London, said "Last year TB killed more people than all the combined wars, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, airline accidents, terrorist attacks and murders worldwide.

"The drugs and treatment are available but every year two million people die of a curable disease. This is a global scandal.

"At present the funding gap is $31bn dollars, more than half the $56bn needed. $56bn a year is the same as the United States spent every month in their military operation in Iraq. It's the same as the world spends every 3 days on military investment.

"If the G8 are to make good on the promises made at Gleneagles last year they must be prepared to dig deep into their pockets and make TB history."