Africa and “Unite to End Tuberculosis”

The World Tuberculosis Day is marked on  March 24, every year. This year the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on countries and partners to “Unite to End Tuberculosis”. According to WHO, “while there has been significant progress in the fight against TB, with 43 million lives saved since 2000, the battle is only half-won: over […]

The World Tuberculosis Day is marked on  March 24, every year. This year the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on countries and partners to “Unite to End Tuberculosis”. According to WHO, “while there has been significant progress in the fight against TB, with 43 million lives saved since 2000, the battle is only half-won: over 4000 people lose their lives each day to this leading infectious disease.”
Below are simple facts on Tuberculosis (TB)
•    “TB ranks alongside HIV/AIDS the world’s top infectious disease killer.
•    In 2014, 9.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.5 million died from the disease, including 380, 000 among people living with HIV.
•    More than 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and TB is among the top five causes of death for women aged 15 to 44.
•    In 2014, an estimated 1 million children became ill with TB and 140 000 children died.
•    TB is a leading killer of HIV-positive people: in 2014, 1 in 3 HIV deaths was due to TB.
•    Globally, in 2014, an estimated 480, 000 people developed Multi Drug Resistant (MDR)-TB.
•    The TB death rate dropped by 47% between 1990 and 2015.
•    An estimated 43 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2014.”
In line with the Tuberculosis day, the African leaders have also called for collective efforts to end TB in Africa by 2030. This was contained in a press statement as an outcome of the Limpopo meeting in South Africa on 22nd March, 2016 convened by the African Union and the Republic of South Africa with the same theme ‘Unite to end TB in Africa by 2030”.  
 The statement revealed that “together with our social partners and development agencies, we will continue to remind our people that TB can be detected, treated and cured. We encourage people to get screened for TB.   If infected with TB, people need to go on treatment as soon as possible and ensure that they complete their treatment” said Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa.
“The African Union is setting bold targets as outlined in the implementation plan of the African Union Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030 that is being finalized for consideration by African Ministers of Health and subsequently for endorsement by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government” said His Excellency, Dr. Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, the Commissioner for Social Affairs at the African Union Commission.
 Africa still need to ensure that all key populations affected by TB are reached. These include children and women, people living with HIV, people with diabetes, refugees, miners and ex-miners, drug users, prisoners, homeless people, individuals living in densely populated communities and whose access to basic health care services may be limited.
One TB patient can infect 15 to 20 people. Drug resistant TB continues to pose a serious threat to progress achieved so far and can reverse the gains made. Improving detection, finding innovative ways of reducing the prohibitive cost of treatment and lack of adequate diagnostic capacity for detection remain critical.
 The meeting emphasized that to address all these challenges Africa will need to step up efforts to mobilize resources. Africa had by far the largest funding gap of US$ 0.4 billion in 2015, equivalent to half of the global total. Increased domestic allocation of resources to TB and health systems strengthening is thus a key priority of many African governments.
Without a clear investment plan and if the world continues with business as usual, TB is unlikely to be eliminated until the end of the 22nd century, and the world will miss the recently announced Sustainable Development Goal to end TB by 2030. The total investment required between 2016 and 2020 is estimated at US$ 56 billion.
To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal ‘to end TB by 2030,’ the following were proposed:
1.    Bolder policies and supportive systems including translating political commitments into action with adequate resources for tuberculosis care and prevention are required.
2.    Engagement of communities, civil society organizations, public and private care providers remain critical.
3.    More supportive universal health coverage policy, regulatory frameworks for case notification, vital registration; quality and rational use of medicines and infection control should be enhanced by all countries.
4. In addition social protection, poverty alleviation and actions and sustained advocacy for free diagnosis and treatment of TB cases should be sustained.
 Finally the Limpopo meeting requires more follow ups and engagement with African leaders to support implementation of framework that will tame tuberculosis in Africa.

All comments to Dr Aminu Magashi, Publisher Health Reporters ([email protected])