There is little money for treatment, and many of the patients have drug-resistant strains that are difficult to cure. Many cases go undiagnosed, while in Russian prisons, tuberculosis is rampant. Dr Nana Gvetadze of Moscow's Central Tuberculosis Institute said that in Soviet times, the healthcare system was better funded and better able to cope. Strict controls on movement meant outbreaks could be contained more easily. These days, she said, poverty is also to blame for the rapid rise in cases.
People have no time to pay attention to their health.
Everybody tries to find a job, to work a lot, and I think that is the main problem. The disease is most common among the poor, especially the homeless, the malnourished and prisoners. Overcrowding and poor nutrition in Russian jails make inmates the most vulnerable group of all. It is believed that one in 10 prisoners has active TB - 100,000 people in all. And when they leave jail, few seek treatment, continuing to spread the disease.