Source: China Daily
04-02-2009 10:22
Special Report: Tech MaxBEIJING April 2 -- The detection, diagnosis and treatment of TB is to be boosted in 20 Chinese cities, helping around 50,000 sufferers each year, thanks to a new partnership between central government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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| Bill Gates, founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum on the Under- standing of Collaboration of Tuberculosis Prevention in Beijing, capital of China, on April 1, 2009. (Xinhua photo) |
The Ministry of Health formalized a deal yesterday that will see the foundation donate $33 million over the next five years to help wipe out the disease in Beijing.
"This tuberculosis control program aims to establish an effective prevention model through the exploration of new diagnostic tools and methods," said Health Minister Chen Zhu.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Gates yesterday, applauding his help for China in HIV/AIDS and TB prevention and treatment.
The new techniques to be piloted include drug combinations to reduce the number of pills used each day by 70 percent, and strategies to help patients take medicine regularly with text messages and kits with built-in alarms.
