EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/346

(2004/C 78 E/0365)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3467/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Subject: Effective treatment of tuberculosis — progress

In the Commission's answer to my previous written parliamentary question E-1238/01 (1) regarding action against major communicable diseases including TB, I was reassured that a Framework for Action had been produced outlining the Commission's Stop TB initiative.

Could the Commission provide a progress report on the initiative so far? How much funding is being directed towards control of these diseases? Does the development of new diagnostics, drugs and vaccinations remain a priority of the programme? Are we yet achieving developmental results?

Does the Commission envisage an increase in European funding directed at the Global Plan to Stop TB?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2003)

The Commission will present a progress report on its Programme for action on communicable diseases in the context of poverty reduction to Parliament and Council in early 2003. The average annual Community aid in the past eight years (1994-2001) to ‘health’ is over EUR 400 million (2), not including research and humanitarian aid funds. The majority of the Community support to health outcomes is not targeting specific diseases but rather strengthening health systems through partnership with developing countries, which are crucial to respond to these diseases. At present, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) malaria and tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries receive Community funding mainly through indicative country and regional programmes, non-governmental organisation co-financing, the 5 and 6 research framework, the special budget lines on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, and the contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Overall, the total estimated allocation to Community programmes targeting specifically these diseases in the last eight years (1994-2001) has been EUR 660 million, that is an average of EUR 82,5 million per year. The research and development of new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines are included in the programme for action targeted at the three diseases.

The international targets towards TB control were agreed at the Amsterdam Conference in April 2000 and endorsed by the World Health Assembly, creating the Stop TB Initiative. These targets are 70 % case detection and 85 % DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment-Short regime) coverage by 2005, which could effectively halve TB deaths by 2010. The global picture two years later is not of success: an annual increase of 2 % in incidence and overall 27 % DOTS coverage (some three million cases). It is clear that DOTS needs scaling up and additional funds. The Commission is currently also funding research under the 5th Framework programme — International cooperation programme with developing countries — on how to improve DOTS efficiency in Africa.

The Stop TB Partnership has presented the Global Plan to Stop TB in which it describes the strategies and resources needed over the next five years to expand, adapt, and improve DOTS — meeting the 2005 global targets and setting the world on the road to the elimination of TB. USD 9 billion are needed to fulfill the objectives of the Plan, with a present gap of nearly USD 4 billion.

The Commission supports the Global Fund to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis which includes TB control. Several proposals target tuberculosis control programmes, including scaling up DOTS. The Commission has committed EUR 120 million for year 2002 to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and is a member of the Board. An annual contribution through the Budget Line on the Programme for Action is currently being discussed with the Budgetary Authority.

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 97.

(2) Thematic evaluation of population and development oriented programmes in EC external co-operation, September 2002.