We must maintain government programmes to end TB

Lord Herbert of South Downs

My Lords, tuberculosis is the single biggest cause of death of people with HIV/AIDS, killing 1.25 million people a year in total - the most deadly infectious disease of all. Given the reduction of funding and indeed the dismantling of USAID, and the withdrawal of funding from the WHO, does the Minister share my concern that our ability to conduct ongoing surveillance of this airborne transmissible disease is at risk and will the Government maintain their programmes to ensure that this disease, too, can be beaten by 2030?

The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington)

We are concerned about HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. The theme of these exchanges today is going to be one of heightened concern about our ability to make the progress that we have an ambition and a responsibility to make. There is no doubt that it has now been made more difficult. The noble Lord asked about the decisions we are making here in the UK. We are not responsible for the decisions that other countries make, but we are responsible for the choices that we take. Although those decisions are currently being made, I find it difficult to envisage a situation where the United Kingdom does not play a leading role in the fight against these diseases.

Read other questions and answers in the exchange here