Nearly every day of the year is now an ‘awareness day’, ranging from Wear a Loud Tie Day (January 24) to International Mountain Day (December 16), aimed at promoting interest in, or raising funds for, different causes.
Understandably, the media has developed awareness day fatigue.
Sadly, the International TB Day, on March 23, attracted little interest, with reports that donors are cutting budgets although fresh funding is needed to develop new drugs to fight the most severe forms of TB which have grown resistant to the basic drug regimen.
TB kills 1.6 million people each year and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has long been warning that the drugs are outdated, costly and increasingly ineffective.
Our doctors working throughout the world feel desperately sad when they see more and more of their TB patients dying for want of an effective treatment. Awareness days are important, and if we are not careful we may soon need an International How Did We Let This Happen? Day.
Marc DuBois, Executive Director, Médecins Sans Frontières UK, London
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