Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, March 24, is World Tuberculosis Day, and I invite you and all members to wear the pin and help raise awareness about this terrible disease.
Last year, the World Health Organization reported that 10.4 million people fell ill with TB. There were 1.8 million TB deaths in 2016, making it the top infectious killer worldwide.
While many people think of TB only in the least developed nations, there are about 1,600 new cases of active TB reported in Canada every year, primarily amongst newcomers and indigenous communities.
The issue is not about finding a cure. The cure exists. It is about ensuring that everyone has access to life-saving treatment.
I encourage members to join me in raising awareness of this issue by tweeting ”#ItsTimeToEndTB” for those living with tuberculosis here in Canada and around the world.