What would it take to eliminate tuberculosis in the Eastern Mediterranean Region? (Editorial).

Twenty-five years ago, tuberculosis (TB) was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, TB still remained one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide in 2015. In 2014, the World Health Assembly (WHA) had approved a new global strategy to end TB that builds on successes achieved by the DOTS and the Stop TB Strategy.

Situational analysis of tuberculosis control programs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Gaps and solutions.

Objective/background: The objectives of this study were to highlight the key challenges and the strategic directions to scale-up tuberculosis (TB) care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR); to review TB burden in EMR, and evaluate the progress toward Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets by 2015; to identify the main obstacles for optimal TB care toward TB elimination; and to provide strategic directions to address the key challenges. The Eastern Mediterranean Region is composed of 22 countries with 648 million populations. The region has estimated TB incidence of 116 per 100,000.

Collaboration between tuberculosis control programs and the action plan for tackling antimicrobial resistance: An opportunity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Objective/background: Over-the-counter availability of antibiotics together with poor access to diagnostics is recognised to promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR) including generation of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). In accordance with the End TB Strategy target of ending TB epidemic by 2030, efforts to control DR-TB are ongoing in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries, a number of which have well-established facilities for diagnostics, disease care and prevention as well as surveillance. These could serve as models for AMR control.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Somalia, 2010-2011.

In a nationwide survey in 2011, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) was found in 5.2% and 40.8% of patients with new and previously treated TB, respectively.