Cycle of Poverty

“TB needs to be our next liberation struggle, next to the fight against poverty.”
—Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Though a global disease, TB’s impact is felt disproportionately by the poor. The transmission of TB within families and communities often further entrenches a cycle of poverty, in which the sick are made poor, and the poor are at increased risk of sickness. Studies show the economic impact TB has on families, even if they don’t pay for treatment. Those who become sick are often unable to work consistently and spend more time in their homes, which are often badly ventilated and help spread the disease among family members. As the disease passes from adult to child, the poverty cycle tightens its inter-generational grip.

TB Robs the World of Wealth as well as Health

New and improved TB cures could help increase the productivity of entire regions and promote sustainable economies.

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TB will rob the world’s poorest countries of an estimated $1 to $3 trillion over the next 10 years.
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Studies have shown that patient costs associated with TB treatment can be upwards of 80% per capita income in some regions, even when the drugs themselves are free.

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The World Bank estimates that loss of productivity attributable to TB is 4 to 7 percent of some countries’ GDP.

Return on Investment in New TB Drugs

Investing in the development of new TB drugs is not just a humanitarian imperative; it is sound economic policy as well. New and improved TB treatments help increase the health and productivity of entire regions, promoting sustainable and self-determined economies. A recent analysis determined that investing in R&D for neglected diseases like TB returns $405 in value for every dollar invested.