Global TB Progress Mired By Scarce Funding, COVID-19, Says WHO Report

Global targets for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment will likely be missed due to insufficient funding, according to WHO.

Global targets for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment will likely be missed due to insufficient funding, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic revealed the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report.

In the period 2018-2019, 14 million people were treated for tuberculosis, over one-third of the way towards the five-year target of 40 million for 2018-2022.

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‘Between 2015 and 2019, 9% reduction in TB incidence and 14% drop in deaths were recorded, according to the WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2020.’

The WHO's End TB Strategy aims for a 90% reduction in TB deaths and 80% reduction in TB incidence rate by 2030. Funding is a significant issue, according to the report.

In 2020, funding for tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and care reached $6.5 billion.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to further setbacks on access to tuberculosis services.

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Data collected from over 200 countries have shown reductions in TB case notifications. 25 to 30% reported in three high burden countries, namely Indonesia, Philippines, and India, between January and June 2020.

These reductions could lead to an increase in additional tuberculosis deaths. According to WHO:

About 85% of tuberculosis funding in 2020 came from domestic sources.
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa provide 57% of the global total.

"Equitable access to quality and timely diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care remains a challenge. Accelerated action is urgently needed worldwide if we are to meet our targets by 2022," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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