World Health Organisation officials acknowledged yesterday that they were struggling to control the global tuberculosis epidemic, which is being fuelled by the spread of Aids. But they denied claims by health activists that the battle against TB was "doomed" without new drugs and diagnostic tests.

WHO said the past two years had seen rapid growth in the number of patients treated under Dots, its recommended TB control strategy that includes a direct watch on patients to ensure they take the drugs for the full six to eight months needed for a cure.