China leads the world in TB progress: WHO

China has made the biggest progress worldwide in controlling tuberculosis (TB) over the past 20 years, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said Friday.

There is no reason that, over the next 20 years, China cannot lead the efforts to put an end to TB, said Dr. Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO Representative in China, at an event held in Beijing to mark the 19th World Tuberculosis Day, which falls on Monday.

China's infectious TB incidence decreased by 61 percent from 169 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 66 per 100,000 people in 2010. The result means China completed a goal set by the WHO five years in advance.

However, there are still an estimated 1 million new TB cases emerging in China every year. Only 60,000 multi-drug resistant TB patients are accessing proper treatment.

"These numbers are simply far too big. They show that TB is far from being resolved as a public health issue. Much more can be done and must be done," he said.

He called for China to continue to make efforts in technological innovation to help identify new cases more rapidly, and to simplify treatment for TB.

"TB remains a disease of poverty," said Schwartlander, adding that the WHO and China's National Health and Family Planning Commission will work together to ensure TB-related health care services are affordable to all Chinese people.