By: Chris Michael, Posted: Oct 3 08

Regions: Global

Issues: Health

Tags: Health, HIV/AIDS, Nachtwey, TB, TED, tuberculosis

Do you know what XDR-TB is? James Nachtwey has spent a year working to ensure you do.

Last year, acclaimed photojournalist Nachtwey joined former President Bill Clinton and Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson as recipients of the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Prize - a $100,000 award to help "bring one wish to change the world" to reality.  James, whose wish was to share an underreported worldwide story through the power of news photography, focused on a potential worldwide pandemic - extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

As if TB was not enough of a global health crisis - in 2007 alone, TB killed 1.7 million people, or 4,660 deaths a day, one death each 20 seconds - XDR-TB, a new and deadly mutation of TB that arises when common TB goes untreated or standard TB drugs are misused, adds a new level of fright and concern.

To spotlight the threat of XDR-TB and inspire action to combat this devastating disease, Nachtwey, TED and their partners have launched a multimedia campaign that will unveil this evening at a special screening at Lincoln Center in New York City, and will be followed by screenings on all 7 continents, in 50 cities around the globe and across the web.

Watch the Slideshow

We are partnering to help amplify and circulate Nachtwey's moving slideshow - please join us!

3 Things You Can Do

1) Sign the Letter

Join RESULTS.org and the ACTION project in sending a message to leaders of the world (and the US Presidential Candidates) calling on them to take immediate action to address TB. Sign Now->->

2) Share the Video

Online: Send the slideshow to a friend, add it to your blog or website and circulate it via your Facebook, Myspace and other social network sites. Learn more ->->

Offline: Join millions by attending or holding a screening in your own community. Get started ->->

3) Take Action

People around the world are taking action in their communities to help stop the global pandemic. They’re writing letters, meeting with elected officials, using the media, planning events, raising money and more.

RESULTS is a grassroots citizen advocacy organization with everyday people in hundreds of communities in seven countries taking action to end poverty and diseases like TB. RESULTS is part of the seven Country ACTION (Action To Control Tuberculosis Internationally) project which combines grassroots power with high level advocacy to change the face of global health. Take Action Now ->->

Watch Nachtwey's acceptance speech at TED