Lívia Járóka (PPE), in writing. – Throughout the history of mankind, tuberculosis has killed more people than any other disease. This highly contagious, airborne bacterium can infect ten to fifteen other people before the symptoms are noticed.

Overcrowded housing, slumification and the lack of proper hygiene have always been a serious risk factor for tuberculosis, and therefore TB is the disease most strongly related to and partly caused by poverty.

Despite the efforts of the WHO and national authorities, the number of people dying of tuberculosis amounts to 1.5 million every year and the number is still increasing. I full-heartedly support the Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative and sincerely hope that it can provide more vaccines for sufferers in Europe and around the world.

But it must be emphasised that the fight against TB must walk hand in hand with the fight against poverty and social exclusion. It is necessary to identify the vulnerable groups as well as to determine and eliminate the barriers preventing these groups from accessing the full range of TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

It would also be beneficial to modify the agenda of TB services in order to respond better to local needs and to address the widespread discriminatory practices in health systems.