The Telegraph: From fighting Ebola to ending TB: stretched health systems need new partners

Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Achim Steiner, administrator for the U.N. Development Programme

 

“…We have seen time and again that diseases thrive in conflict and chaos. … The interaction works both ways. Disease often makes social instability and poverty much worse. … The future of disease prevention — and global health security — depends on our ability to improve health for the most vulnerable populations, including those living in war zones or fleeing fighting. … The experience of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which work together in some of the world’s most challenging operating environments, has shown that fighting diseases in such environments requires sustained efforts and strong partnerships. … Perhaps the most fundamental lesson is that the best protection from infectious disease outbreaks is a resilient health system. … Conflict, poverty, and disease present a triple threat that exacerbate each other. To make the world a better, safer place — we must understand these complex interactions, commit sustained effort and resources, and work in partnership…” (9/6).