Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
I have been working in the field of tuberculosis (TB) for over 30 years. I first encountered the disease while treating patients with HIV. While undergoing treatment for HIV, they were dying of TB. I found that unacceptable, and since then I’ve been committed to fighting both of these diseases. I became director of the CDC’s, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, where I led the US National TB Program for 20 years. We made progress, but at a high price. In my current work, I still see individuals who suffer unnecessarily from a disease that’s eminently treatable. We need to make sure that people who think TB is a disease of the past recognize that this is a very common misconception. Because all of us need to be resistance fighters.