Posted on: Fri 06-09-2024

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, says progress is ongoing in the clinical trial of the M72 tuberculosis vaccine, expressing optimism in its offering 70 per cent efficacy.

Gates said this while responding to a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) question during an interview session with selected journalists yesterday in Abuja.

The interview was held on the sidelines of the 2024 NutriVision, a pan-African dialogue to discuss transformative solutions to combating malnutrition and shaping Africa’s future. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria.

It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit. According to the World Health Organization, 10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2022 and 1.3 million died, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.

Gates said tuberculosis was difficult to diagnose, and grossly underfunded, noting that Multidrugresistant TB (MDR-TB) remained a public health crisis and a health security threat.

SOURCE: NEW TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER

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