Three areas in Russia now have the highest rates of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR) ever recorded, according to a new report released today by the World Health Organization. Overall, however, the percentage of TB patients infected with multi-resistant strain has remained roughly the same at 3.6%. Much more money is needed to treat patients with MDR-TB and stopping its spread, said WHO; the long-term treatment can cost 50 to 0 times more than regular TB treatment.
Approximately 440,000 cases of MDR-TB occurred worldwide in 08, according to the report, half of them in India and China. Relatively speaking, however, the problem is more serious in Eastern Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union. Among new TB patients in the Russian oblasts (regions) of Murmansk, Pskov and Arkhangelsk, which are all in the north-Russia-28%, 27%, and 24% were MDR respectively. (The highest level recorded to date was 22% in Baku City, Azerbaijan, in 07.) Intense efforts against the problem led to lower rates in the Orel and Tomsk oblasts, however , as well as Estonia and Latvia.
To repeat this success globally, a huge increase in funding is needed. In the 27 countries with high burden of MDR-TB, some $ 400 million will be available in 2010; "The need for funding in 2015 will be 16 times higher," the report said.
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