Tuberculosis still world’s leading infectious killer

Dar es Salaam. Despite making a significant progress over the last decade, tuberculosis (TB) is still the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming over 4,500 lives a day, according to the Word Health Organisation (WHO).

A WHO statement released on its website yesterday on the eve of the World TB Day commemoration, expounded that the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a major health threat and puts in jeopardy gains achieved in the fight against the disease.

Last year, WHO reported that 10.4 million people fell ill with TB and there were 1.8 million deaths related to TB in 2016, making it the top infectious killer worldwide.

“This disease is deeply rooted in populations where human rights and dignity are limited. While anyone can contract TB, the disease thrives among people living in poverty, communities and groups that are marginalised, and other vulnerable populations,” the WHO statement reads.

According to WHO, the groups include migrants, refugees, ethnic minorities, miners and others working and living in risk-prone settings, the elderly, marginalised women and children in many settings, to name but a few.

Factors such as malnutrition, poor housing and sanitation, compounded by other risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use and diabetes, affect vulnerability to TB and access to care, the statement indicated.

“Each year, we commemorate the World TB Day to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic,” part of statement further reads.

This year’s World TB Day 2018 theme “Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world” focuses on building commitment to end TB, not only at the political level with Heads of State and ministers of Health, but at all levels from Mayors, governors, parliamentarians and community leaders, to people affected by TB, civil society advocates, health workers, doctors or nurses, NGOs and other partners.

This is a critical theme, given the political importance of the upcoming UN General Assembly high-level meeting on TB this year, which will bring together Heads of State in New York.