On the eve of World Tuberculosis Day on Sunday, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is calling on countries in the Caribbean and other countries in the Americas to step up their efforts to fight this preventable and treatable disease.
PAHO announced on Friday that tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious pathogen worldwide, surpassed only by coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report, approximately 325,000 people in the Americas will become ill with tuberculosis and 35,000 will die from it in 2023.
PAHO said these figures represent increases of 14% and 41% respectively compared to 2015, “further accelerated by the pandemic”.
Additionally, PAHO announced that an estimated 83,000 people remain undiagnosed and untreated for tuberculosis.
“Now is the time to redouble our efforts and work toward a future where tuberculosis is no longer a public health threat,” said PAHO Director Dr. Gervase Barbosa. “Countries in the Americas are working to eliminate tuberculosis, and we have new technologies and strategies that will bring us closer to realizing this vision.”
Among the advances that will help countries eliminate tuberculosis by 2030, Barbosa said: AI-assisted radiography for active case-finding within communities; Emphasis was placed on rapid molecular testing, oral therapy and short-term treatment.
Furthermore, the PAHO Director emphasized the importance of increased investment, multisectoral cooperation and adoption of the latest WHO recommendations to reverse the upward trend in tuberculosis cases.
PAHO said the burden of tuberculosis varies widely across countries in the region. In 2022, three countries recorded high rates of tuberculosis (more than 100 per 100,000 population) and 14 countries and territories recorded low rates of tuberculosis, particularly in the Caribbean. Some countries and regions are approaching the threshold for tuberculosis. PAHO said it had been eliminated.
“Despite the strong impact of the pandemic and significant heterogeneity in incidence, the Americas is uniquely positioned to be the first region in the world to eliminate tuberculosis,” said PAHO's Tuberculosis Prevention, Control and Elimination. said Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, director of the bureau. infectious disease.
Mr. Aldighieri emphasized that the organization's disease elimination initiative, which will resume in September 2023 and tackle tuberculosis, will be central to achieving this goal.
PAHO said it is working with countries in the Americas to eliminate tuberculosis and ensure equitable access to prevention, diagnostic and treatment services.
To commemorate World Tuberculosis Day, PAHO announces a high-level event on Monday where regional leaders, civil society representatives and health experts will discuss opportunities and challenges to eliminate TB in the Americas. did.
