[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 41 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S3169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                              TUBERCULOSIS

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, as some of my colleagues may 
know, each year tuberculosis claims nearly 3 million lives--more than 
all other infectious diseases combined--making it the number one 
infectious cause of death worldwide. Unlike many other infectious 
diseases, tuberculosis is an airborne disease transmitted like the 
common cold. Nearly one-third of the world's population is already 
infected, and cases of multi-drug resistant strains, which are far more 
difficult and expensive to treat, are on the rise. Overall, 
tuberculosis is responsible for 25% of all preventable deaths.
  The Los Angeles Times recently published an article about USAID's 
work to expand and strengthen programs to control tuberculosis, along 
with other global threats to public health. I think this is a very 
important initiative and would urge them to continue their efforts. The 
renewed focus on tuberculosis is due in part to the activities of 
Princeton Project 55, established by Princeton University's Class of 
1955, which has pressed for aggressive United States leadership in the 
prevention and treatment of this terrible disease. I commend them on 
their involvement and would ask that the full text of the article be 
printed in the Record.
  The article follows:

              [From the Los Angeles Times, March 6, 1998]

             U.S. Launches Global Effort to Control Disease

                          (By Marlene Cimons)

       Washington--The U.S. Agency for International Development 
     announced Thursday a new initiative aimed at controlling the 
     global emergence of lethal infectious diseases, saying it 
     will develop programs in targeted countries to fight the 
     escalating health threats posed by bacterial resistance, 
     tuberculosis and malaria.
       The agency also said it will work with other health 
     agencies worldwide to better monitor and respond to new 
     outbreaks of diseases before they get out of hand.
       ``This is as important for American citizens'' as it is for 
     citizens abroad because ``we are dealing with these problems 
     at their origin, rather than waiting for them to get here,'' 
     said Dr. Nils Daulaire, a senior health advisor to USAID.
       Congress, recognizing the potential danger from infectious 
     diseases overseas, awarded the agency an additional $50 
     million for fiscal 1998 specifically for control of 
     infectious diseases--the first time in four years that, 
     ``instead of cutting our budget, Congress has added to it,'' 
     Daulaire said.
       In response, the agency is pursuing a 10-year effort that 
     it hopes will reduce by at least 10% the deaths caused by 
     infectious diseases, excluding those caused by acquired 
     immune deficiency syndrome, by 2007.
       The $50 million is in addition to the agency's public 
     health budget of $850 million, which is spent on maternal and 
     child health, family planning and the control of AIDS and the 
     human immunodeficiency virus that causes it.
       USAID has estimated that more than 17 million people 
     worldwide will die from infectious diseases in 1998. This 
     health problem has gotten worse in recent years due to 
     numerous factors, including rapid population growth, 
     overcrowding, poor sanitation, poverty, loss of trained 
     health personnel and decreasing resources available to public 
     health services in the poorest of countries, according to 
     USAID.
       The new strategy will focus on:
       Developing programs that will discourage the indiscriminate 
     use of antibiotics, which only strengthens the ability of 
     resistant strains of bacteria to survive.
       Developing a global tuberculosis control plan, which will 
     include establishing up to five major sites to serve as 
     models for TB surveillance and control and enhancing programs 
     to identify TB strains that are resistant to multiple drugs 
     before the strains become widespread.
       Developing programs in Africa--where the most troublesome 
     malaria problems exist--to prevent and control spread of the 
     disease. Rather than control the mosquitoes that transmit the 
     parasite, efforts will focus on preventing infection and 
     quickly treating those who become infected, an approach 
     health officials say will help reduce further 
     transmission.

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