The United Nations (UN) Thursday noted a significant improvement in efforts to combat acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria all over the world.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a UN-backed international organization, disclosed that there had been improvements in combating the three diseases since the program started in 2002.

The program’s funding has reached US$15.6-billion to date, and has been serving 140 countries.

According to the international organization, about 2.3 million people have received antiretroviral treatment against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS; 80 million people have been given counseling and testing sessions against HIV while four million orphans have been provided with medical services, educational and community care.

Likewise, about 5.4 million had undergone DOTS or the Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course, which is a strategy to reduce the number of TB cases while about 88 million have been provided with insecticide-treated bednets to combat the spread of malaria, up from 59 million last year.

“When we first began our work in 2002, few people in developing countries were being treated for AIDS or tuberculosis. Malaria was a neglected disease. Many countries simply did not have the resources to fight these diseases effectively,” Global Fund Executive Director Michel Kazatchkine said, adding that while greater efforts are needed, “real progress” against the diseases has been made.

The Philippines ranks fourth in TB incidence in the Western Pacific Region, with incidence highest in slum areas due to insufficient facilities for TB treatment and discontinued treatment due to frequent relocation of patients, among others. Infections like TB and malaria account to 80 percent of the disease burden in the poorest of poor countries.