It has proven to be a successful, innovative approach to TB control in countries such as China, Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Peru, and countries of West Africa. The technical, logistical, operational and political aspects of DOTS work together to ensure its success and applicability in a wide variety of contexts. Thirty million people could die from TB in the next 10 years. TB is the leading infectious killer of youth and adults. A third of the world's population is infected with the TB bacillus.
Someone is infected with tuberculosis every second.
About 8 million people became sick with TB in 1999. TB is a leading killer of women. TB likely creates more orphans than any other infectious disease. Every country is vulnerable to the consequences of poor TB treatment practices in other countries. Estimates are based on reports made by countries to the World Health Organization and WHO incidence estimates.