Around 1.4 million fewer people received care for tuberculosis (TB) in 2020 than in 2019, according to preliminary data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) from more than 80 countries – a decrease of 21% since 2019. The countries with the largest gaps had relative gaps in Indonesia (42%), South Africa (41%), Philippines (37%) and India (25%).
The effects of COVID-19 go far beyond the death and infection caused by the virus itself. The crisis over essential services for people with TB is just one sad example of the ways in which the pandemic is unfairly affecting some of the world ‘s poorest people, who were already in higher risk for TB. These interesting data indicate that countries need to make universal health coverage a top priority while responding to and overcoming the pandemic, to ensure access to services. essential for TB and all diseases. “
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization
It is important that health systems are built so that everyone gets the services they need. Some countries have already taken steps to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on service delivery, by strengthening infection control; expanding the use of digital technologies to provide remote advice and support, and providing home-based TB prevention and care.
But many people with TB can’t get the care they need. The WHO fears that more than half a million more people could have died of TB in 2020, simply because they were unable to be diagnosed.
This is not a new problem: before COVID-19 hit, the gap between the number of people developing TB each year and the annual number of people officially reported as confirmed with TB around 3 million. The pandemic has exacerbated the situation.
One way to address this is through reconstructed and improved TB screening to quickly identify people with TB or TB infection. New guidance issued by WHO on World TB Day aims to help countries identify the specific needs of communities, the numbers most at risk for TB, and the areas most at risk. make an impact to ensure people have access to the most appropriate prevention and care services. This can be achieved through more systematic use of screening methods that use modern equipment.
These include the use of rapid molecular diagnostic tests, the use of computer-assisted detection to interpret breast radiography and the use of a wider range of procedures for screening people living with HIV for TB. Recommendations are accompanied by performance guidelines for implementation.
But this alone will not be enough. In 2020, in his report to the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General issued a set of 10 priority recommendations that countries must follow. These include implementing high-level leadership and action across a number of departments to rapidly reduce TB deaths; increase funding; promoting universal health coverage for TB prevention and care; tackling drug fights, promoting human rights and strengthening TB research.
And crucially, reducing health inequalities will be crucial.
“For centuries, people with TB have been among the most isolated and vulnerable. COVID-19 has a severe balance in living conditions and access to services within and between countries,” he said. Dr Tereza Kasaeva, WHO Global TB Program Director. “We now need to make a renewed effort to work together to ensure that TB programs are robust enough to be delivered in any future emergency – and look for innovative ways to do this.”
Source:
World Health Organization