World Tuberculosis Day 2011: Malteser International: TB still deadliest among poorest

24.03.2011г.

Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Bulgaria

World Tuberculosis Day 2011: Malteser International: TB still deadliest among poorest

Excellencies, Dear Madams, Dear Sirs: With regard to the World Tuberculosis Day on 24 March 2011, we are sending you enclosed our press release informing about the activities of our worldwide relief agency Malteser International in Southern Sudan where Malteser International has been conducting a TB control programme since 1998 and where the situation is particularly critical. Tuberculosis continues to kill thousands of people today – almost 130 years after Robert Koch discovered the virus. On World Tuberculosis Day, Malteser International calls attention to the link in between the deadly disease and extreme poverty: “Tuberculosis is still a massive problem of the poor”, says Dr. Sibylle Gerstl, epidemiologist and Malteser International’s senior health advisor Africa. Although the disease is today easily treated with antibiotics, many people in developing countries have no access to these medicines. - And the complete therapy costs only 50 Euros per person! For donation please use: Donation Account 2020270; Pax-Bank Köln, von-Werth-Str. 25-27, D-50670 Köln, Germany, Sort Code : 370 60 193; IBAN : DE74 3706 0193 0002 0202 70; BIC: GENODED1PAX, Reference : “Tuberculosis” Please do not hesitate to contact the Embassy for further information! With best regards, Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Bulgaria 92, Vasil Levski blvd., Sofia 1504 Tel/Fax: +359 2 8439861 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release 23 March 2011 Malteser International Headquarters Cologne World Tuberculosis Day 2011: Malteser International: TB still deadliest among poorest Cologne. Tuberculosis continues to kill thousands of people today – almost 130 years after Robert Koch discovered the virus. On World Tuberculosis Day, Malteser International, the relief service of the Order of Malta for worldwide humanitarian aid, calls attention to the link in between the deadly disease and extreme poverty: “Tuberculosis is still a massive problem of the poor”, says Dr. Sibylle Gerstl, epidemiologist and Malteser International’s senior health advisor Africa. Although the disease is today easily treated with antibiotics, many people in developing countries have no access to these medicines. In South Sudan, where Malteser International conducts a tuberculosis control programme since 1998, the situation is particularly critical: in 2010, the number of people who contracted the disease was 11 percent higher than the previous year. Malteser International is working against this development in 11 health centres and with mobile health teams. The organisation also maintains a laboratory school, where 68 lab technicians have thus far been trained to perform TB tests. Last year, Malteser International tested almost four thousand patients for tuberculosis in Sudan. „84 percent of those infected have received treatment and been cured“, says Gerstl. „And the complete therapy costs only 50 Euros per person.“ Attention editors: Wiltrud Gutsmiedl, Malteser International’s senior desk officer South Sudan, is available for telephone interviews. Contact: +49 (0) 221 98 22-155. Help support our work in the fight against tuberculosis – please donate! Reference: “Tuberculosis” Malteser International is the worldwide relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for humanitarian aid. The organisation provides aid in about 200 projects in more than 20 countries without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. For further information: www.malteser-international.org and www.orderofmalta.org With best regards Petra Ipp-Zavazal Senior Desk Officer International Communications/ Referentin Internationale Kommunikation P.S.: Join Malteser International on Facebook and YouTube: http://www.facebook.com/malteserinternational http://www.youtube.com/malteserint Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V. Malteser International Kalker Hauptstr. 22-24, 51 103 Köln Telefon +49 (0) 221 9822-155 Telefax +49 (0) 221 9822-179 eMail Petra.Ipp@malteser-international.org www.malteser-international.org, www.malteser-spenden.de Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V., Sitz: Köln, AG Köln VR 4726 Geschäftsführender Vorstand: Johannes Frhr. Heereman, Dr. Elmar Pankau, Hans-Peter Hoh

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