From October 26-30, 2011, PSI will join thousands of program implementers, activists, researchers and policy makers from around the world in Lille, France to mark the 42nd Union World Conference on Lung Health. PSI staff will present 4 posters on its tuberculosis (TB) work in Public Private Mix and case detection in India, and Myanmar.<\/p>\n
Approximately one-third of the world population is infected with TB bacilli, the microbe that causes the infection. Although TB is a preventable and curable airborne infectious disease, it still kills an estimated 1.8 million people per year, and millions of new infections still occur (9.2 million new infections in 2009). <\/p>\n
TB is a disease of poverty, affecting mostly young adults in their most productive years. The vast majority of TB deaths are in the developing world, with more than half occurring in Asia.<\/p>\n
PSI globally contributes to TB control through a mix of different interventions in 12 countries: Advocacy and community social mobilization activities, intensive case finding, diagnosis and treatment provision through DOTS, and integration activities when and where appropriate.<\/p>\n