United Nations Radio

The World Health Organization and its partners today unveiled a new tool for a fast diagnosis of multi drug-resistant tuberculosis. ~~

The health agency says the new initiative will make a diagnosis of the TB which is resistant to antibiotics within one day instead of the two to three months required with the old test.

WHO says that in developing countries most TB patients are tested for multi-drug resistant TB only after they fail to respond to a standard treatment and have to wait for the test results before receiving life-saving second-line drugs.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva today, Dr. Mario Raviglione, WHO's Director of the Stop TB Department said the new diagnostic method unveiled today is a major revolution in tuberculosis control.

It's something that is comparable to the discoveries in the past. The last one was probably decades ago that allowed for instance, shortening the course of chemo-therapy for tuberculosis. It's something really major.

Dr. Raviglione said this new diagnostic tool shows how different agencies working together can respond effectively to tuberculosis around the world.

For United Nations Radio, I'm Gerry Adams.

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