The World Health Organisation (WHO), has disclosed that the 30 tuberculosis (TB) burden countries, including Nigeria accounted for 87 percent of all estimated incident cases worldwide in 2023.
Eight of the 30 countries accounting for more than two thirds of the global total are: India (26 per cent), Indonesia (10 per cent), China (6.8 per cent), the Philippines (6.8 per cent), Pakistan (6.3 per cent), and Nigeria (4.6 per cent).
Others are Bangladesh (3.5 per cent) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.1 per cent). The top five countries accounted for 56 per cent of the global total.
In its Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, WHO TB stated that has probably returned to being the world’s leading infectious
disease killer.
According to the UN health agency, the global rise in the number of people falling ill with TB (incident cases) which started during the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed and started to stabilise, adding that the total was 10.8 million (95 per cent ) uncertainty interval (UI) in 2023, a minor increase from 10.7 million in 2022, although still much higher than 10.4 million in 2021 and 10.1 million in 2020.
WHO revealed that most of the global increase in incident cases between 2022 and 2023 reflectd population growth, explaining that incidence rate (new cases per 100,000 population) in 2023 was 134.
“Most of the people who develop TB disease each year are in 30 high TB burden countries, which accounted for 87% of the global total in 2023. Five countries accounted for 56% of the worldwide total: India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%) and Pakistan (6.3%).
“In 2023, 55% of people who developed TB were men, 33% were women and 12% were children and young adolescents.
“The global number of deaths caused by TB fell in 2023, reinforcing the decline that was achieved in 2022 after 2 years of increases during the worst years of the COVID-19
pandemic (2020 and 2021). TB caused an estimated 1.25 million deaths (95% UI: 1.13–1.37 million) in 2023, including 1.09 million among HIV-negative people and 161,000 among people with HIV.
” The total was down from best estimates of 1.32 million in 2022, 1.42 million in 2021 and 1.40 million in 2020, and below the prepandemic level of 1.34 million in 2019.
“Despite this progress, TB has probably returned to being the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent (replacing COVID-19).
“Globally, the net reduction in the TB incidence rate between 2015 and 2023 was 8.3%, far from the WHO End
TB Strategy milestone of a 50% reduction by 2025. The WHO African and European regions have made the most progress (reductions of 24% and 27%, respectively); 79 countries achieved reductions of at least 20%.
“The net reduction in the global number of deaths caused by TB between 2015 and 2023 was 23%, almost one third of the way to the WHO End TB Strategy milestone of a
75% reduction by 2025. The WHO African and European regions have made the most progress (reductions of 42% and 38%, respectively); 43 countries achieved reductions of at least 35%.
“Reductions in the number of deaths from TB since 2022 and the slowing increase in the TB incidence rate are the result of substantial post-COVID recovery in TB diagnosis and treatment,” the report said.
WHO said it was confronted with a multitude of formidable challenges, including funding shortfalls, catastrophic financial burdens for many TB-affected households,climate change, conflict, migration and displacement, pandemics, and the urgent need to tackle drug-resistant tuberculosis, a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance.
“It is imperative that we unite across all
sectors and stakeholders, to confront these pressing issues and ramp up our efforts, transforming our promises into tangible resources and unwavering
resolve.
“Only through our collective determination can we make significant strides in our battle to end TB once and for all,” the UN agency said in the report.
Ndubuisi Francis
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