WHO Urges Intensified Efforts to Eliminate TB in South-East Asia
New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries in the Southeast Asia Region to build on the progress made to eliminate tuberculosis (TB).
Saima Wazed, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region, emphasized the need for accelerated multi-sectoral efforts to reach every affected and at-risk individual. These efforts must also tackle the socio-economic determinants and impacts of the disease, she stated.
As per IANS, Wazed highlighted the importance of a primary healthcare-based approach that addresses TB determinants like undernutrition, incorporates advancements in technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, and places communities and affected populations at the heart of all initiatives.
The WHO Global TB Report 2024 revealed that over 5 million people developed TB in Southeast Asia in 2023, accounting for 45% of the global TB burden and over half of all TB-related deaths worldwide.
While TB deaths in the region declined to 583,000 in 2023 from a peak of 763,000 in 2021, significant challenges remain. The proportion of people with TB missed by programs dropped to 22% in 2023 from 44% in 2020. However, gaps in treatment coverage persist, with only 9% of people living with HIV and less than a quarter of household contacts of confirmed TB patients receiving preventive treatment.
The report further noted that over 3.8 million people in the region began TB treatment in 2023, the highest ever recorded. Despite this progress, the WHO pointed to a funding shortfall of nearly Rs 200 crore annually, hampering comprehensive efforts to combat TB.
According to IANS, Wazed praised the progress made by countries in the region but underlined the urgency of addressing the massive disease burden, its catastrophic socio-economic effects, and resource constraints.
She urged for enhanced multisectoral collaboration to pool resources and ensure no one is left behind. “Reaching the unreached, especially vulnerable and marginalized groups, is critical to our fight against TB,” Wazed added.
“It is time to push the pedal on the collective momentum built by Member countries in the Region towards ending TB,” she concluded.
Nidhi Srivastava is a dietician. She holds a post-graduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from MRIIRS. With a profound passion for utilizing nutrition and lifestyle modifications to manage diseases, she is dedicated to advancing the field through rigorous research and fact-checking. Her expertise lies in evidence-based practice, ensuring the highest standards of dietary health and wellness.