New strategy launched to wipe out tuberculosis in England

The government has announced a new action plan to decrease the number of tuberculosis cases in England, with the ultimate goal of eliminating it completely nationwide.

Public Health England and NHS England have committed to make an 11.5 million pound investment in the collaborative project, which has been devised following a three-month consultation including responses from more than 100 different stakeholders.

Key priorities include improving access and early diagnosis, enhancing treatment, diagnostic and care services, and specifically working to tackle the spread of the disease in vulnerable populations.

Currently, the UK has the second highest rate of tuberculosis among western European countries, while this frequency is nearly five times higher than in the US. Moreover, 70 percent of these cases are seen in the top 40 percent of most deprived areas in the country.

Professor Paul Cosford, director for health protection and medical director at Public Health England, said: "Tuberculosis should be consigned to the past and, yet it is occurring in England at higher rates than most of western Europe. This situation must be reversed."