South Africa launches world tuberculosis day

This year's World Tuberculosis Day was launched in South Africa, where some of the highest levels of TB infection are found.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who once suffered from tuberculosis, spoke of the need to continue to fight the disease.

Health experts now put the number of cases around the world at almost eight-and-a-half-million. Correspondents say relatively cheap drugs are available to cure TB, but patients in poor countries can still face problems paying for their whole course of treatment, which can last for six months.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service