For Immediate Release

Office of Press Relations
press@usaid.gov

Press Release

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Stop TB Partnership are teaming up with iconic character Hello Kitty on the urgent need to address and end pediatric tuberculosis (TB). TB, an airborne disease that despite being preventable and curable, takes the lives of 1.5 million people–including more than a quarter of a million children–each year.

In a video released today, on World Tuberculosis Day, USAID Administrator Samantha Power and Hello Kitty discuss discrimination and stigma children with TB face. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, making it harder for children and adults alike to access TB diagnosis and treatment services. As a result of COVID-19 disruptions, TB deaths have increased for the first time in a decade.

As the world’s largest bilateral donor leading the fight to end TB, USAID remains committed to helping country TB programs recover from COVID-19’s impact and ultimately, get back on track to putting 40 million people on TB treatment by 2022–to include 3.5 million children–a global target set during the United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB in 2018. Since 2000, USAID has provided more than $3.8 billion dollars in assistance to combat TB, and working with partners, including the Stop TB Partnership, saved more than 66 million lives. Learn more about USAID’s TB work here.

 
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