Even as children under five account for over 10 per cent of all TB deaths globally, with India bearing a significant burden, a report has pointed out that only one of the 14 surveyed countries has fully aligned its tuberculosis (TB) policies with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Among those that have, only four possess the necessary resources for effective implementation.
The situation is particularly grave for young children, who are not receiving adequate diagnostic and treatment measures, according to the report prepared by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
The report 'TACTIC: Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children' emphasised the urgent need for countries to revise their national TB policies to improve care for affected children.
Stijn Deborggraeve, Diagnostics Advisor at MSF's Access Campaign said, “TB is a curable disease, even in children. Yet we see a shocking delay in countries adopting effective solutions. Every moment of inaction leads to unnecessary child fatalities.”
As per the WHO data, 1.25 million children and adolescents contract TB annually, but a staggering half of them remain undiagnosed and untreated.
The WHO's 2022 revised guidelines offer vital recommendations that could transform the landscape of pediatric TB care, including symptom-based diagnostic algorithms and shorter, more effective treatment regimens, as per the report.
Joseph Sesey, a Clinical Officer with MSF in Sierra Leone, highlighted the immediate impact of these guidelines, noting significant improvements in diagnosis and reduced mortality rates in children with TB. The experts have called for immediate and decisive action on the part of governments, donors, and global health organizations to prevent further suffering and loss of life among the world's most vulnerable population.
“No child should endure the consequences of a preventable disease like TB,” Sesey said.
“We urge governments, donors, and global health organizations to act swiftly to ensure that no child suffers or dies from a preventable disease like TB,” she said.
The countries examined in the report include Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, India, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, and Uganda.
India's target for eliminating tuberculosis (TB) is 2025, which is five years ahead of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of 2030. In March 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s commitment to eliminate the disease from India by 2025.
