The World Health Organisation (WHO), in a landmark initiative to curb the current tuberculosis (TB) epidemic has signed up with International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) on the role of pharmacists in tuberculosiscare and control.

The joint statement was issued here after they signed up at the Federation’s 71st International Congress in Hyderabad. The event is being held in India for the first time.

The joint statement establishes a series of measures to help detect TB, offer treatment support to TB patients and substantially reduce the number of deaths. This would be by encouraging the FIP’s network of two million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists around the world to become fully engaged in national TB care and control efforts.

Dr. Hiroki Nakatani, Assistant Director-General, WHO, welcomed the new accord and lauded the contributions made by Indian R&D teams in bringing down the cost of some vaccines useful in emerging markets.

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