With about 37 million lives saved between 2000 and 2013 through the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), it is possible to eradicate the disease by 2035, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday, urging leaders to recommit to ending one of humanity's top killers. "Victory is not guaranteed," Ban said. "I urge governments, communities affected by tuberculosis, and health workers around the world to intensify their efforts in line with the ambitious strategy established by the World Health Assembly in 2014 to end the global epidemic within two decades." TB is one of the world's top infectious killers. About 9 million people fell ill from it in 2013, and 1.5 million died. The impact of TB is felt acutely by the most vulnerable populations, including those struggling with poverty and poor health systems.
