The number of tuberculosis cases and deaths that will occur in the future will depend on how well and fast the tuberculosis control strategy recommended by the World Health Organization is being implemented.

The model above developed by the World Health Organization predicts that, in the period between 1997 and 2020, 39 million cases and 17 million deaths can be prevented in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Pacific.

This staggering number of cases and deaths will be prevented only, if it is feasible to achieve complete implementation of the DOTS strategy advocated by the World Health Organization by the year 2010.

Enormous efforts lie thus ahead for the world community to improve the epidemiologic situation of tuberculosis and to alleviate human suffering and prevent unnecessary deaths.

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