TB remains one of the world’s leading causes of ill health and death.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile. Picture: @PresidencyZA/Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – Deputy President Paul Mashitile will mark World TB [Tuberculosis] Day in South Africa with the launch of the fifth national strategic plan for HIV and TB.
TB remains one of the leading causes of death and ill health and the 2023 theme for World Day is: “Yes! You and I Can End TB”.
Mashatile will on Friday be accompanied by members of the health department at the Tlhabane Stadium in Rustenburg to launch the plan.
He will then be visiting surrounding areas in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality.
The plan will focus on HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections patients completing their treatment plans and increasing early diagnosis.
The health department’s Foster Mohale explained the national strategic plan: “Some people don’t complete their life-saving TB treatment because of the stigma or lack of support from their loved ones… let’s care for our loved ones and support their TB recovery journey. Yes, indeed, we can end TB if we go for regular TB screening and testing if we know that TB is a curable disease, not a death sentence.”
According to the World Health Organization, TB is caused by bacteria that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.
KEY TB FACTS FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
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A total of 1.6 million people died from TB in 2021 (including 187 000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS).
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In 2021, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis(TB) worldwide. Six million men, 3.4 million women and 1.2 million children. TB is present in all countries and age groups. But TB is curable and preventable.
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In 2021, 1.2 million children fell ill with TB globally. Child and adolescent TB is often overlooked by health providers and can be difficult to diagnose and treat.
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In 2021, the 30 high TB-burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases
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Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about one in three people with drug-resistant TB accessed treatment in 2020.
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Globally, TB incidence is falling at about 2% per year and between 2015 and 2020 the cumulative reduction was 11%. This was over halfway to the End TB Strategy milestone of 20% reduction between 2015 and 2020.
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An estimated 66 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2020.
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Globally, close to one in two TB-affected households face costs higher than 20% of their household income, according to the latest national TB patient cost survey data. The world did not reach the milestone of 0% TB patients and their households facing catastrophic costs as a result of TB disease by 2020.
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By 2022, US$ 13 billion is needed annually for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care to achieve the global target agreed upon at the UN high level-meeting on TB in 2018.
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Funding in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that account for 98% of reported TB cases falls far short of what is needed. Spending in 2020 amounted to US$ 5.3 billion less than half (41%) of the global target.
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There was an 8.7% decline in spending between 2019 and 2020 (from US$ 5.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion), with TB funding in 2020 back to the level of 2016.
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Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
