§ 2151b–3 — Assistance To Combat Tuberculosis

(a) Congress makes the following findings: (1) Congress recognizes the growing international problem of tuberculosis and the impact its continued existence has on those countries that had previously largely controlled the disease. (2) Congress further recognizes that the means exist to control and treat tuberculosis through expanded use of the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short-course) treatment strategy, including DOTS-Plus to address multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and adequate investment in newly created mechanisms to increase access to treatment, including the Global Tuberculosis Drug Facility established in 2001 pursuant to the Amsterdam Declaration to Stop TB and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. (b) It is a major objective of the foreign assistance program of the United States to control tuberculosis. In all countries in which the Government of the United States has established development programs, particularly in countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis and other countries with high rates of tuberculosis, the United States should support the objectives of the Global Plan to Stop TB, including through achievement of the following goals: (1) Reduce by half the tuberculosis death and disease burden from the 1990 baseline. (2) Sustain or exceed the detection of at least 70 percent of sputum smear-positive cases of tuberculosis and the successful treatment of at least 85 percent of the cases detected in countries with established United States Agency for International Development tuberculosis programs. (3) In support of the Global Plan to Stop TB, the President shall establish a comprehensive, 5-year United States strategy to expand and improve United States efforts to combat tuberculosis globally, including a plan to support— (A) the successful treatment of 4,500,000 new sputum smear tuberculosis patients under DOTS programs by 2013, primarily through direct support for needed services, commodities, health workers, and training, and additional treatment through coordinated multilateral efforts; and (B) the diagnosis and treatment of 90,000 new multiple drug resistant tuberculosis cases by 2013, and additional treatment through coordinated multilateral efforts. (c) To carry out this section and consistent with section 2151b(c) of this title, the President is authorized to furnish assistance, on such terms and conditions as the President may determine, for the prevention, treatment, control, and elimination of tuberculosis. (d) In carrying out this section, the President shall coordinate with the World Health Organization, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and other organizations with respect to the development and implementation of a comprehensive tuberculosis control program. (e) In furnishing assistance under subsection (c), the President shall give priority to— (1) direct services described in the Stop TB Strategy, including expansion and enhancement of Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) coverage, rapid testing, treatment for individuals infected with both tuberculosis and HIV, and treatment for individuals with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR–TB), strengthening of health systems, use of the International Standards for Tuberculosis Care by all providers, empowering individuals with tuberculosis, and enabling and promoting research to develop new diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines, and program-based operational research relating to tuberculosis; and (2) funding for the Global Tuberculosis Drug Facility, the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership, and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. (f) In carrying out this section, the President, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, is authorized to provide increased resources to the World Health Organization and the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership to improve the capacity of countries with high rates of tuberculosis and other affected countries to implement the Stop TB Strategy and specific strategies related to addressing multiple drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR–TB) and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR–TB). (g) The President shall submit an annual report to Congress that describes the impact of United States foreign assistance on efforts to control tuberculosis, including— (1) the number of tuberculosis cases diagnosed and the number of cases cured in countries receiving United States bilateral foreign assistance for tuberculosis control purposes; (2) a description of activities supported with United States tuberculosis resources in each country, including a description of how those activities specifically contribute to increasing the number of people diagnosed and treated for tuberculosis; (3) in each country receiving bilateral United States foreign assistance for tuberculosis control purposes, the percentage provided for direct tuberculosis services in countries receiving United States bilateral foreign assistance for tuberculosis control purposes; (4) a description of research efforts and clinical trials to develop new tools to combat tuberculosis, including diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines supported by United States bilateral assistance; (5) the number of persons who have been diagnosed and started treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in countries receiving United States bilateral foreign assistance for tuberculosis control programs; (6) a description of the collaboration and coordination of United States anti-tuberculosis efforts with the World Health Organization, the Global Fund, and other major public and private entities within the Stop TB Strategy; (7) the constraints on implementation of programs posed by health workforce shortages and capacities; (8) the number of people trained in tuberculosis control; and (9) a breakdown of expenditures for direct patient tuberculosis services, drugs and other commodities, drug management, training in diagnosis and treatment, health systems strengthening, research, and support costs. (h) In this section: (1) The term “DOTS” or “Directly Observed Treatment Short-course” means the World Health Organization-recommended strategy for treating tuberculosis including— (A) low-cost and effective diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of tuberculosis; (B) a reliable drug supply; (C) a management strategy for public health systems; (D) health system strengthening; (E) promotion of the use of the International Standards for Tuberculosis Care by all care providers; (F) bacteriology under an external quality assessment framework; (G) short-course chemotherapy; and (H) sound reporting and recording systems. (2) The term “DOTS-Plus” means a comprehensive tuberculosis management strategy that is built upon and works as a supplement to the standard DOTS strategy, and which takes into account specific issues (such as use of second line anti-tuberculosis drugs) that need to be addressed in areas where there is high prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. (3) The term “Global Alliance for Tuberculosis Drug Development” means the public-private partnership that brings together leaders in health, science, philanthropy, and private industry to devise new approaches to tuberculosis and to ensure that new medications are available and affordable in high tuberculosis burden countries and other affected countries. (4) The term “Global Tuberculosis Drug Facility (GDF)” means the new initiative of the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership to increase access to high-quality tuberculosis drugs to facilitate DOTS expansion. (5) The term “Stop TB Strategy” means the 6-point strategy to reduce tuberculosis developed by the World Health Organization, which is described in the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006–2015: Actions for Life, a comprehensive plan developed by the Stop TB Partnership that sets out the actions necessary to achieve the millennium development goal of cutting tuberculosis deaths and disease burden in half by 2015. (6) The term “Stop Tuberculosis Partnership” means the partnership of the World Health Organization, donors including the United States, high tuberculosis burden countries, multilateral agencies, and nongovernmental and technical agencies committed to short- and long-term measures required to control and eventually eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem in the world.