AS the world commemorates World Tuberculosis Day on Friday, March 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the disease killed 1.6 million people and infected 10.6 million globally in 2022.
Speaking on the disease in a message, Tereza Kasaeva, a doctor and Director of the Global Tuberculosis Programme, called on world leaders to invest more in tools and drugs to further help tackle the disease.
Tuberculosis, otherwise known as TB, affects the most vulnerable and marginalized worldwide, said Kasaeva.
According to her, global efforts to combat the disease have saved an estimated 74 million lives since 2000.
But she said the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts in parts of the world, and the socio-economic inequities crisis had reversed the years of progress made in the fight against the condition.
“This has placed a heavy burden on those affected, especially the most vulnerable. For the first time in over a decade, WHO reported that estimated TB incidence and death have increased. Actions and investments still fall far short of those needed to handle the TB epidemic.”
She said there were several opportunities to raise visibility and political commitment and enhance commitment to the TB response.
“The theme of World TB Day 2023, ‘Yes, we can end TB,’ reflects this and aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increase investment faster uptake of WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated actions and multi-sectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
“On World TB Day, WHO is calling for action on several fronts to ensure that the commitments made to end TB are achieved.”
She said the 2023 UN high-level meeting on TB at the General Assembly in September would provide a better avenue for more commitment to fighting the disease.
While urging good participation by world leaders and robust society engagement, Kasaeva called for an urgent increase in local and international investment in TB, including deploying more tools to tackle the ailment.
In 2021, The ICIR reported how an official of the Federal Ministry of Health raised the alarm that Nigeria could face a TB crisis, given its high prevalence and mortality.
The officials said that despite Nigeria having the highest cases of TB in Africa, the Federal Government provided only seven per cent of the funds needed to fight the condition.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2022. Contact him via email @ [email protected].