KNCV Tuberculosis Fund and the municipality of The Hague will facilitate the 2018 Union World Conference on Lung Health in The Netherlands. This annual world conference focuses on TB and other lung diseases such as asthma and pneumonia, air pollution and anti-smoking policies.
“The conference from 24 to 27 October 2018 brings together more than 4,000 doctors, scientists, politicians and patients with one common goal: to eliminate tuberculosis once and for all, "Says physician Kitty van Weezenbeek, General Director of KNCV Tuberculosis Fund. Tuberculosis is not a disease of the past, but a threat to public health, which takes a life every 18 seconds. "This is unacceptable, because the disease can easily be treated. New medicine offers hope for patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis, for whom no cure was possible until recently. The Netherlands has unique expertise and innovation in this area, and the conference provides a platform for broadening that knowledge."
The theme of the conference: Declaring Our Rights: Social and Political Solutions emphasises the importance of political commitment and a human rights-based approach. Both are needed to eliminate tuberculosis once and for all, and to reduce the worldwide threat of tobacco use, air pollution and other lung diseases. As a city of peace, welfare and justice, The Hague offers a unique environment for connecting science, human rights and international policy.
José Luis Castro, Managing Director, The Union: "Tuberculosis is the most deadly infectious disease in the world and is most common under the poorest people. That 1.8 million people a year die of TB - a disease that is curable - violates fundamental human rights. That's why we are organising our 2018 conference in The Hague, a city with a historic tradition in the struggle for social justice. There is no more suitable place than The Hague to share this view with the world and to call for action."
The Municipality of The Hague: "The KNCV Tuberculosis Fund and the Municipality of The Hague have worked together closely to draw the conference to the city. The multi-day event fits the international image of the Hague as an international city of peace, welfare and justice. "
