The CDC is hugely concerned with the tuberculosis epidemic, mainly because TB is one of the world's deadliest diseases. One third of the world's population is infected with TB and about 9 million new incidences pop up each year. So what is the CDC doing to eliminate TB in Swaziland and every other country? RIght now they are focusing on screening and diagnosing tuberculosis. They have been looking for ways to improve health policies and strategies, upgrading laboratory systems, and training new researchers and health care workers. They want health care to be effective in resource-limited countries such as Swaziland. They think the best way to do that is to build up the laboratory side of health care. They want to catch and diagnose tuberculosis because it gets out of control. This is such good news! I would say if anyone were to get involved here, I would want it to be the CDC. If anyone can help it's them! And I think their plan is pretty genius: work on diagnosis. Swaziland's health care system is so resource-limited and knowlege-limited that most tuberculosis victims are dying in Swaziland entirely because nobody has the means to diagnose them. It is so unfortunate that people are sick and dying and don't even know why they are sick! If the CDC can work to improve research and laboratory settings in Swaziland, the results would be tremendous! This is exciting news, everybody! For more information on their treatment plan, visit the website below:
http://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/globaltb/role.htm