Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world

Tuberculosis: Key facts

(1.) Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide.

(2.) In 2016, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.7 million died from the disease (including 0.4 million among people with HIV). Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

(3.) Seven countries account for 64% of the total, with India leading the count, followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa.

(4.) In 2016, an estimated 1 million children became ill with TB and 250 000 children died of TB (including children with HIV associated TB).

(5.) TB is a leading killer of HIV-positive people: in 2016, 40% of HIV deaths were due to TB.

(6.) Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. WHO estimates that there were 600 000 new cases with resistance to rifampicin – the most effective first-line drug, of which 490 000 had MDR-TB. Globally, TB incidence is falling at about 2% per year. This needs to accelerate to a 4–5% annual decline to reach the 2020 milestones of the End TB Strategy.

(7.) An estimated 53 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2016.

(8.) Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Reference
1. World Health Organization (WHO), Tuberculosis, Fact sheet (Reviewed January 2018). http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/

Гл. ас. д-р Магдалена Баймакова, д.м.

Специалист "Инфекциозни болести"

24 март 2018