This entry is submitted by Gloria Gamat, via Creative Reporter.To save 14 million deaths from tuberculosis, world leaders have been asked to back a multi-billion dollar plan over the next ten years:

The Stop Tuberculosis Partnership, a coalition of more than 400 organisations, launched the plan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, on 27 January.

It received an immediate boost with the announcement of US$600 million in additional funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Gates Foundation had already committed US$300 million to the plan. The extra money will be used largely to support research and development of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tools.

News such as this is very encouraging especially if an important and wealthy man like Bill Gates himself is doing his part to "heal" the world. To the eyes of impoverished (and sick) people, it brings hope.

"We are willing to triple our funding for tuberculosis, and we urge others to do the same," said Bill Gates. "If we have the chance to save 14 million lives, and a clear plan to make it happen, we have an obligation to act."

However, I wonder what fraction of the fund will trickle down to the developing countries. Strategies like this where government leaders are asked to "take part" could mean the other way around in our local setting. People die of TB especially in the third-world, let's hope and pray that our government leaders keep that in mind before anything else.

Sources: SciDev, WashingtonPost.

About Gloria Gamat: Gloria is a proud single-mom to Raine (Rainier Brando: born 29 December 2002) and a chemist. Gloria also blogs about motherhood at EMothersOnline and about life and travel in the Philippines at The Philippine Culture Blog and at Pinoy Travel Blog respectively.