Shocking health alert: Tuberculosis now the deadliest disease – Are you at risk?
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Tuberculosis (TB), an ancient scourge that many believed was under control, has resurged with a vengeance, reclaiming its grim title as the top infectious disease killer worldwide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm with its latest report, which reveals a startling increase in TB cases and underscores the urgent need for global attention and action.
In 2023, approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB, the highest number since WHO began monitoring the disease in 1995.
This marks a significant rise from the 7.5 million cases reported in 2022 and positions TB ahead of COVID-19 as the leading infectious disease killer for the year.
Despite the decrease in TB-related deaths from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the total number of people falling ill with TB has risen to an estimated 10.8 million.
This resurgence is particularly pronounced in 30 high-burden countries, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan accounting for 56% of the global TB burden.
The WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 paints a picture of mixed progress in the fight against TB, with significant challenges such as underfunding persisting.
The report also highlights the disproportionate impact of the disease on men, who represent 55% of those who developed TB, while women account for 33%, and children and young adolescents make up 12%.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, expressed outrage at the continued toll of TB, emphasizing the availability of tools to prevent, detect, and treat the disease.
He urged countries to fulfill their commitments to expand the use of these tools and end TB.
The report also notes that the gap between the estimated number of new TB cases and those reported has narrowed to about 2.7 million, down from around 4 million during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This improvement follows substantial efforts to recover from COVID-related disruptions to TB services.
A particularly alarming aspect of the TB epidemic is the prevalence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB). Although treatment success rates for MDR/RR-TB have reached 68%, only 44% of the estimated 400,000 people who developed MDR/RR-TB were diagnosed and treated in 2023.
The fight against TB is hampered by a severe lack of funding. In 2023, only US$ 5.7 billion of the US$ 22 billion annual funding target was available, representing a mere 26% of the global target. Low- and middle-income countries, which bear 98% of the TB burden, faced significant funding shortages.
International donor funding in these countries has stagnated at around US$ 1.1–1.2 billion per year, with the United States government remaining the largest bilateral donor for TB.
Contributions from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are crucial but insufficient to cover essential TB service needs.
TB research is also severely underfunded, with only one-fifth of the US$ 5 billion annual target reached in 2022. This underfunding impedes the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.
WHO is leading efforts to advance the TB vaccine agenda, including with the support of the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council.
For the first time, the WHO report provides estimates on the percentage of TB-affected households facing catastrophic costs (exceeding 20% of annual household income) to access TB diagnosis and treatment. Half of TB-affected households in low- and middle-income countries face such costs.
Major risk factors driving new TB cases include undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking, and diabetes. Addressing these issues requires coordinated multisectoral action, considering critical determinants like poverty and GDP per capita.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme, emphasized the need to unite across all sectors and stakeholders to confront the formidable challenges posed by TB, including climate change, conflict, migration, pandemics, and drug-resistant TB.
Global milestones and targets for reducing the TB disease burden are off-track, and considerable progress is needed to reach the targets set for 2027 ahead of the second UN High-Level Meeting.
WHO calls on governments, global partners, and donors to urgently translate commitments into tangible actions and increase funding for research, particularly for new TB vaccines.
The resurgence of TB is a stark reminder that infectious diseases know no borders and can affect anyone. While the highest burden is in specific countries, TB remains a global threat.
It's crucial to be aware of the symptoms of TB, which include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. If you or someone you know exhibits these symptoms, seek medical attention promptly.
Preventive measures, such as vaccination where available, and maintaining good overall health can reduce the risk of developing TB. It's also important to support public health initiatives and advocate for increased funding to combat this deadly disease.
Have you or someone you know been affected by TB? What are your thoughts on the global response to this resurgent threat? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm with its latest report, which reveals a startling increase in TB cases and underscores the urgent need for global attention and action.
In 2023, approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB, the highest number since WHO began monitoring the disease in 1995.
This marks a significant rise from the 7.5 million cases reported in 2022 and positions TB ahead of COVID-19 as the leading infectious disease killer for the year.
The WHO has reported a significant increase in tuberculosis cases in 2023, with approximately 8.2 million new cases, surpassing COVID-19 as the top infectious disease killer. Image source: Pexels.
Despite the decrease in TB-related deaths from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the total number of people falling ill with TB has risen to an estimated 10.8 million.
This resurgence is particularly pronounced in 30 high-burden countries, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan accounting for 56% of the global TB burden.
The WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 paints a picture of mixed progress in the fight against TB, with significant challenges such as underfunding persisting.
The report also highlights the disproportionate impact of the disease on men, who represent 55% of those who developed TB, while women account for 33%, and children and young adolescents make up 12%.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, expressed outrage at the continued toll of TB, emphasizing the availability of tools to prevent, detect, and treat the disease.
He urged countries to fulfill their commitments to expand the use of these tools and end TB.
The report also notes that the gap between the estimated number of new TB cases and those reported has narrowed to about 2.7 million, down from around 4 million during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This improvement follows substantial efforts to recover from COVID-related disruptions to TB services.
A particularly alarming aspect of the TB epidemic is the prevalence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB). Although treatment success rates for MDR/RR-TB have reached 68%, only 44% of the estimated 400,000 people who developed MDR/RR-TB were diagnosed and treated in 2023.
The fight against TB is hampered by a severe lack of funding. In 2023, only US$ 5.7 billion of the US$ 22 billion annual funding target was available, representing a mere 26% of the global target. Low- and middle-income countries, which bear 98% of the TB burden, faced significant funding shortages.
International donor funding in these countries has stagnated at around US$ 1.1–1.2 billion per year, with the United States government remaining the largest bilateral donor for TB.
Contributions from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are crucial but insufficient to cover essential TB service needs.
TB research is also severely underfunded, with only one-fifth of the US$ 5 billion annual target reached in 2022. This underfunding impedes the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.
WHO is leading efforts to advance the TB vaccine agenda, including with the support of the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council.
For the first time, the WHO report provides estimates on the percentage of TB-affected households facing catastrophic costs (exceeding 20% of annual household income) to access TB diagnosis and treatment. Half of TB-affected households in low- and middle-income countries face such costs.
Major risk factors driving new TB cases include undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking, and diabetes. Addressing these issues requires coordinated multisectoral action, considering critical determinants like poverty and GDP per capita.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme, emphasized the need to unite across all sectors and stakeholders to confront the formidable challenges posed by TB, including climate change, conflict, migration, pandemics, and drug-resistant TB.
Global milestones and targets for reducing the TB disease burden are off-track, and considerable progress is needed to reach the targets set for 2027 ahead of the second UN High-Level Meeting.
WHO calls on governments, global partners, and donors to urgently translate commitments into tangible actions and increase funding for research, particularly for new TB vaccines.
The resurgence of TB is a stark reminder that infectious diseases know no borders and can affect anyone. While the highest burden is in specific countries, TB remains a global threat.
It's crucial to be aware of the symptoms of TB, which include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. If you or someone you know exhibits these symptoms, seek medical attention promptly.
Preventive measures, such as vaccination where available, and maintaining good overall health can reduce the risk of developing TB. It's also important to support public health initiatives and advocate for increased funding to combat this deadly disease.
