Ahead of the World TB Day on March 24, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a set of guidelines aiming to improve treatment of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) by asking the countries to set up an accountability framework to coordinate actions across sectors and to monitor and review progress; an electronic TB surveillance systems to keep a tab on epidemics through real-time monitoring and better access to healthcare.
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s top infectious disease killer, claiming 4,500 lives each day. Ten million people still fall ill with TB each year, with too many missing out on vital care.
To improve treatment of MDR-TB, the health agency has recommended shifting to fully oral regimens to treat people with MDR-TB. The recommendations are part of a larger package of actions designed to help countries increase the pace of progress to end the deadly disease.
“The theme of this year’s World TB Day is: It’s time to end TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, according to a statement here.
Since 2000, 54 million lives have been saved, and TB deaths fell by one-third, but ten million people still fall ill with TB each year, with too many missing out on vital care.
The WHO package is designed to help countries close gaps in care ensuring no one is left behind. Key elements include: an accountability framework to coordinate actions across sectors and to monitor and review progress; a dashboard to help countries know more about their own epidemics through real-time monitoring - by moving to electronic TB surveillance systems.
The other features of the guidelines are effective prioritization of planning and implementation of impactful TB interventions based on analyses of patient pathways in accessing care and a civil society task force to ensure effective and meaningful civil society engagement, said the statement.
“This is a set of pragmatic actions that countries can use to accelerate progress and act on the high-level commitments made in the first-ever UN High Level Meeting on TB last September,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director WHO’s Global TB Programme.
Dr KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) noted that while target to make TB-free India by 2025, which is five years ahead of the global deadline set by the WHO, is ambitious, India must mobilize resources further to achieve this. Early diagnosis and complete treatment are extremely important to prevent and control TB.
“Introduction of new and effective drugs and tools, improved hygiene and nutrition as well as stronger emphasis on grass-roots level TB awareness and plan implementation all over the country,” is a key, he said.