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‘Significant reductions’ seen in health interventions for TB patients as a result of blockages imposed due to the spread of COVID-19.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a “dramatic increase” in tuberculosis (TB) deaths in the coming years, as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and continued funding shortages in its report. Annual on Global Efforts. to fight disease.
The WHO said there were “significant reductions” in the reporting and tracking of new TB cases in the first half of 2020, as countries imposed lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Three “high burden countries” – India, Indonesia and the Philippines – reported a 25 to 30 percent drop in case notifications during the six months to June 2020 compared to the same period last year.
The three countries are also among the countries with the highest incidence of coronavirus in the world.
“These reductions in case notifications could lead to a dramatic increase in additional TB deaths, as modeled by the WHO,” the report said.
Tuberculosis is considered the deadliest infectious disease in the world. It is caused by a bacteria that most often affects the lungs and can spread easily.
While an estimated 14 million people were treated for TB between 2018 and 2019, they represent only about a third of the 40 million the UN agency hopes to treat by 2022.
‘Accelerated action is needed’
The WHO noted that although the incidence of the disease fell by nine percent between 2015 and 2019 and deaths fell by 14 percent during the same period, more than 1.4 million people still died of tuberculosis in 2019.
Now the coronavirus pandemic is making the fight against tuberculosis difficult.
“The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undo the progress made in recent years,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Accelerated action is needed around the world if we are to achieve our goals,” he said.
One of the most pressing challenges in the fight against tuberculosis is financing, according to the WHO.
This year, funds raised for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care only reached $ 6.5 billion, half of the $ 13 billion target agreed by world leaders in the UN Political Declaration. against tuberculosis.
Without urgent action and investment, global prevention and treatment goals are likely not to be met.
Tuberculosis can be prevented and cured, and according to WHO data, about 85 percent of people who develop the disease can be successfully treated with a six-month drug regimen. Treatment also reduces the progressive transmission of infection.
Since 2000, tuberculosis treatment has prevented more than 60 million deaths, he said.
Although the incidence of tuberculosis decreased by nine percent between 2015 and 2019, and deaths decreased by 14 percent during the same period, more than 1.4 million people still died from the disease in 2019. [File: Sanjay Bain/EPA]
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was “disheartening” to see that governments around the world were not on track to meet the goals of testing and treating the disease.
“Tuberculosis has been a burden throughout human history, so isn’t it time for governments to get more serious about tackling this deadly disease?” Said Sharonann Lynch, MSF Senior Advisor on tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS.
“With COVID-19 causing a rollback in TB testing, governments must come up with an upgrade plan. The time for excuses is over. “
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