Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Thursday, 6 May 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 13 May 2004. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Thursday, 13 May 2004 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reasons there has been slippage on his Department's public service agreement target to increase the tuberculosis case detection rate above 70 per cent.

Answer: Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons there has been slippage on his Department's public service agreement target to increase the tuberculosis case detection rate above 70 per cent. [172452] Hilary Benn: The target to detect 70 per cent. of (smear positive) Tuberculosis (TB) cases globally by 2005 was set by the World Health Assembly and forms the basis for DFID's public service agreement target. Much progress has been made. In 2002 an estimated 37 per cent. of estimated new smear positive cases were notified under the internationally recommended control strategy for TB (DOTS), an increase from 27 per cent. in 2001 and halfway towards the 2005 target. However, even with these encouraging recent trends at current progress the case detection rate will only be 50 per cent. by 2005. Concerted international action is needed to overcome challenges to scale up effective TB programmes in high burden countries, including strengthening political commitment, health systems, human resource capacity, primary health care provision, private sector and corporate sector contributions and working with poverty reduction strategies. DFID is committed to playing its role in accelerating progress towards the 2005 target as an active member of the Stop TB partnership.

Secondary information