Scaling Up The Global Nursing Workforce To Fight Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 23 Sep 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) announced a dramatic scale-up in their partnership to support nurses in the global fight against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The ICN-Lilly partnership builds nursing capacity on the ground to improve the care, treatment, and prevention of TB and MDR-TB. The project's training and education program reaches thousands of nurses in high-burden countries and is supplemented by global learning resources, E-tools, and an annual awards program. Lilly's generous support over the next four years is enabling this program to be implemented in 18 countries.

"Nurses represent the world's front-line resource to halt the alarming emergence of MDR-TB. ICN's partnership with Lilly provides the critical funding we need to scale up our existing program and to save millions of lives," emphasized Judith Oulton, Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses. "More than three million nurses work in the 22 countries where over 80% of TB cases are found. Only by strengthening the nursing role can we ensure that those with any form of TB receive the care they need to be properly diagnosed and successfully treated."

ICN and Lilly will host an event on September 25, 2008 in New York City to discuss the partnership and the recent decision to increase its activities around the world. The event coincides with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Summit, where progress on the global fight against TB will be presented and future plans discussed.

Tuberculosis (TB) kills more than 1.7 million each year, and MDR-TB represents a "next-generation" of this pandemic. It is harder and more expensive to treat -- and it strikes nearly a half million people each year. Although the disease is treatable, it takes considerable organization and resources to do so -- often in the most complex and difficult areas of the developing world. The call to treat increasing numbers of patients with MDR-TB can place overwhelming pressure on an already over-stretched and in some cases ill-equipped nursing workforce and without support the emergence of XDR-TB will inevitably be exacerbated.

To date, Lilly has committed nearly 135M USD to combat the growing pandemic of MDR-TB. It is the only private sector/corporate initiative of its kind.

Bryce Carmine, Executive Vice President, Lilly, said: "We recognize that, although we have made significant quantities of our medicines available for this fight against MDR-TB, even our most sophisticated medicines are unsuccessful without the vital connection to patients that nurses provide. The structure of ICN enables it to reach millions of nurses through its member national nurses associations and provide training and ongoing support to those fighting MDR-TB on the front lines."

Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia

About the International Council of Nurses (ICN)

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of 131 national nurses' associations representing the more than 13 million nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses for nurses since 1899, ICN is the international voice of nursing and works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.

About the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership

The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership was created to confront multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, a disease so daunting that no single organization can fight it alone. Since 2003, the public-private initiative, mobilizing 18 partners on five continents, has worked together to share expertise in the quest to contain and conquer one of the world's oldest diseases. The Partnership's multi-pronged approach includes: community support and patient advocacy; treatment, training and surveillance; transferring technology; research; and awareness and prevention. Additional information about The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership is available at http://www.lillymdr-tb.com

International Council of Nurses
http://www.lillymdr-tb.com