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New Delhi, Sep 26 (UNI) The US today committed to give Rs 19 crore to the World Health Organisation to fight Tuberculosis in India.

US Ambassador to India David C Mulford and WHO representative to India Salim Habayeb signed a joint agreement under which the US would give Rs 19 crore for research and state level implementation of the national disease control programme.

Speaking at the event Ambassador Mulford said, ''Our government supports tuberculosis control in India because of our over-riding value of the relationship and because of the enormous public health impact and economic burden of the disease. Each day, one thousand Indians die from the disease.'' Highlighting U S-India cooperation on medical research, he said ''President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have agreed to expand joint efforts in the area of science and technology, including medical research to address issues of global concern such as infectious disease control.'' The joint statement emphasises the sustained commitment by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide financial and technical support to WHO for strengthening the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in India. The United States has invested Rs 183 crore($40 million) in the fight against tuberculosis in India since 1998.

USAID and WHO have achieved significant progress over the past ten years. Their partnership has resulted in preventing and controlling tuberculosis and other major diseases, such as polio, malaria and avian influenza. USAID investments of Rs 256 crore for these activities have helped build and strengthen the capacities of local institutions and have leveraged resources from other development partners.

Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among the adult population (18-59 years) in India. India has more cases of tuberculosis than any other country in the world and twice as many as China, the next highest, Social and economic losses due to the disease are enormous, costing about Rs 13.7 thousand crore ($3 billion) per year.

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