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Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme, addressed over 450 biomedical students from Europe and around the world on today’s global tuberculosis (TB) burden, the existing challenges in tackling the epidemic and WHO’s new End TB Strategy. Dr Raviglione was one of two infectious disease experts speaking at the 10th Young European Scientist (YES) Meeting, organized by the University of Porto in Portugal.
Dr Raviglione framed the global TB effort against TB in the context of the new sustainable development goals, highlighting burden, challenges and the new WHO Strategy. He spoke of the importance of investing in research and innovation to end the epidemic. New tests that can rapidly detect TB and drug-resistant TB at the point of care are urgently needed over the next ten years, along with new medicines, and an effective vaccine if the trajectory of the TB epidemic is to be broken and the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2035 is to be met. He also highlighted that investing in TB is great value for money. For every US$1 invested, US$ 40 is gained in return.
Dr Raviglione concluded by stating that today’s medical students must understand TB better, and there are great opportunities ahead in the push to end TB. The third pillar of the End TB Strategy calls for bigger investments in TB research and innovation. One of those investments is building the next generation of scientists, practitioners and public health leaders.