Tuberculosis (TB) is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide due to a single infectious agent.
Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and it is among the top 5 causes of death for women aged 15 to 44. It is a leading killer of HIV-positive people causing one fourth of all HIV-related deaths through effective diagnosis and treatment, 37million lives were saved from 2000-2013 and 480,000 people developed multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the world in 2013.
In 2013, about 80% of reported TB cases occurred in 22 countries. Some countries are experiencing a major decline in cases, while in others the numbers are dropping very slowly.
The estimated number of people falling ill with TB each year is declining, although very slowly, which means that the world is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal to reverse the spread of TB by 2015.
HIV and TB form a lethal combination, each speeding the other’s progress. In 2013 about 360 000 people died of HIV-associated TB. Approximately 25% of deaths among HIV-positive people are due to TB. In 2013 there were an estimated 1.1 million new cases of TB amongst people who were HIV-positive, 78% of whom were living in Africa.
Every year, 24 March, it is an avenue to raise awareness about the burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide and the status of TB prevention and control efforts. On World TB Day 2015, WHO called on governments, affected communities, civil society organizations, health-care providers, and international partners to join the drive to roll out this strategy and to reach, treat and cure all those who are ill today.
On March 24, WHO called for global solidarity and action to support a new 20-year strategy, which aims to end the global tuberculosis epidemic. “This is a matter of social justice, fundamental to our goal of universal health coverage. Each and every man, woman or child with TB should have equal, unhindered access to the innovative tools and services they need for rapid diagnosis, treatment and care,” says Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.
This strategy, though ambitious, targets of a 95% reduction in TB deaths and a 90% reduction in cases of TB by 2035. An important milestone to be reached within the next five years (2020) is the elimination of catastrophic costs for TB patients and their families.
The strategy sets ambitious targets of a 95% reduction in TB deaths and a 90% reduction in cases of TB by 2035. An important milestone to be reached within the next five years (2020) is the elimination of catastrophic costs for TB patients and their families. Eliminating catastrophic costs is feasible through making care more accessible and through financial protection schemes to minimize medical and non-medical costs as well as income loss.
In Nigeria, according to the survey conducted in 2014, with 91,354 cases placed on treatment,The National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) has said that over 600,000 new cases of tuberculosis have been recoded in Nigeria. According to the national coordinator, Gabriel Akang the WHO ranked Nigeria to be 3rd among the 22 highest prevalence of TB burden countries in the world.
For the National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun “Given the urgent need to scale up humanitarian operations and assist those in need across affected countries, a regionally coordinated $28 million rapid-response allocation will go to relief agencies operating in Nigeria ($10 million), Cameroun ($7 million), Niger ($7 million) and Chad ($4 million).” he said.
2015 is seen as a critical year for action to adapt and roll out the strategy in diverse country settings. Achieving success for the strategy will require the TB community around the world to work together to leverage alliances and resources.
“The progress that has been made in combating TB has been hard won and must be intensified if we are to wipe out the TB epidemic,” says Eric Goosby, who was appointed UN Special Envoy on TB in January this year. “The End TB Strategy offers new hope to the millions of people suffering and losing their lives to TB each year. It is time to join forces to create a world free of TB.”
The strategy addresses tuberculosis among vulnerable groups, including people living with HIV who develop TB. Persistent funding gaps in the TB response also need to be filled to drive progress towards ending the global epidemic. It is vital that resource gaps of USD 2 billion per year for TB interventions and USD 1.39 billion per year for TB research be filled. Accelerating research and innovation in basic science, new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines and their rapid uptake, will be critical to break the trajectory of the epidemic and reach the global targets.
“This World TB Day should serve to alert and mobilize as many people as possible to end the epidemic,” says Mario Raviglione, Director of the WHO Global TB Programme. “We must work with innovators in health, development, civil society and the private sector to end the burden of this preventable disease.”
Kemi Ajumobi with wired reports
