Limited access to drugs for resistant tuberculosis: a call to action.

Although the rate of new tuberculosis (TB) cases has been falling worldwide, progress toward the targets for diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant TB is far off-track. In countries with no reliable TB surveillance system, setbacks and progression of TB control is barely reflected and little is known on the situation in the field. Interviews with health professionals in Gabon revealed limited access to first- and second-line TB drugs and important deficiencies in basic TB control. National and international action needs to be taken to meet the global TB control targets.