The world’s leading infectious killer, tuberculosis, continues to stalk the planet. This germ currently infects 2 billion of the 7.6 billion of us. The TB germ lies dormant until our immune system grows weak, then attacks, causing 1.7 million deaths each year, including 239,000 children. This death toll is more than 10 times the death toll of our wars and armed conflicts. This killer has plagued the human race for longer than our recorded history, and while we have had effective, inexpensive, cures for this disease for over 50 years, it still eludes our control.
Next month the United Nations is convening a high-level meeting of world leaders to confront TB. This initiative will require the United States to step up and assume a strong leadership role. This is an issue of both human compassion and national security. Exercising soft power, by saving the lives of bread-winners, mothers and children in far-flung villages, helps the U.S. to win the trust and friendship of countries around the world.
RESULTS is a grass-roots advocacy organization that recently brought this issue to the attention of Utah’s congressional delegation. We wish to publicly thank Reps. Chris Stewart, Mia Love and John Curtis and for their compassion and commitment to peace by supporting this effort to have the United States take the lead.
William E. Cosgrove, M.D., and Tandra Steiner, Cottonwood Heights
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