Multi Drug Resistant-TB: Russian Economic Collapse Will Lead To Global Spread Of,,"Ebola With ...( The Public Health Research Institute...)

The Public Health Research Institute, Doctors Without Borders (Medicins sans Frontiers) and the Medical Emergency Relief Network International (MERLIN) have issued a joint statement about the need for international attention and support to combat the epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Russia, which is threatening to become a global problem.

Referring to the disease as "Ebola with Wings," the organizations released their plea after members of the PHRI/Soros TB Advisory Committee toured prisons in Tomsk and Kemerovo the week Sept. 7. PHRI has begun pilot programs in prisons in Tomsk, Ivanovo and Marii El as part of a $12.3 million project funded by philanthropist George Soros to combat TB in Russia. Before their tour, PHRI and the Russian Ministry of Health hosted the International Workshop on TB in Russia on Monday, Sept. 7, 1998 to address the serious public health problem.

Following is the statement from three organizations. For additional information about PHRI, the PHRI/Soros project, TB in Russia and globally or the disease in general, please visit: http://www.noonanrusso.com/www/phri.

For more information or to arrange an interview with the director of the PHRI/Soros project, please call Noonan/Russo Communications at 212-696-4455 and ask for Ernie Knewitz, x 204, Marion E. Glick, x 221 or Tony Russo at x202.

Statement by

Doctors Without Borders (Medicins sans Frontiers), the Medical Emergency Relief Network International (MERLIN) and The Public Health Research Institute

Multi Drug Resistant-TB: Russian Economic Collapse will Lead to Global Spread of "Ebola with Wings"

Foreign Funds are Needed to Prevent Epidemic

Our three nongovernmental organizations are calling for an urgent worldwide campaign to raise the $100 million needed to prevent the imminent epidemic of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Russia. In our view, this local humanitarian disaster is already a direct global pub
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Contact: Ernie W. Knewitz
e.knewitz@noonanrusso.com
(212) 696-4455 x204
Noonan/Russo Communications
15-Sep-1998