China’s contribution to the millennium development goals: achieving tuberculosis control targets ahead of deadline

Abstract

Abstract The millennium development goals (MDGs) were eight international development targets for the year 2015 that were established following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration in 2000. The MDGs are aimed at reducing extreme poverty and set a series of time-bound goals, particularly in health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability [1] . The target set for tuberculosis (TB) was to reduce TB prevalence and mortality rates by half by 2015 compared to the 1990 baseline rates [2] . China has in fact achieved the TB targets five years ahead of the scheduled timeline [3] . From 1990 through 2010, TB case detections had decreased by 65%, from 170 to 59 cases per 100 000 population and the mortality rates by almost 80% [4] .