U.S. GIVES $4.17 MILLION TO FIGHT TB IN INDIA

U.S. Ambassador to India David Mulford and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a joint agreement for tuberculosis (TB) control in India, Mulford announced. The U.S. is giving the WHO 19 crore rupees, or approximately $4.17 million, for research and state-level implementation of the national disease-control program.

The agreement emphasizes the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) commitment to provide financial and technical support to the WHO for strengthening the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program in India. The U.S. has invested 183 crore rupees, or approximately $40 million, in the fight against TB in India since 1998.

The program involves using the WHO-recommended Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) strategy, which is the most effective strategy available for controlling TB. The plan calls for providing patients with a regular, uninterrupted supply of anti-TB drugs under the direct observation of a healthcare provider.