One million people living with undetected tuberculosis in Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, World Heaith Organisation, WHO, Regional Director for Africa, stated this on Thursday in her message to mark this year’s World TB Day.
She said through the organisation’s technical support leading advocacy, and effective partnerships, enormous progress had been made over the past decade.
She said across the region, the challenges in TB prevention and control were significant.
According to her, there is delayed diagnosis and testing with notable gap between the estimated number of new infections and case notifications of TB.
She said 40% of people with TB did not know of their diagnosis or it was not repeated in 2021.
She said the link between TB and HIV is another factor, adding that approximately 20% of people newly diagnosed with TB were Also living with HIV infection.
“The multi- drug resistant TB in African region, only 20% of all people living with multi-drug resistant are receiving treatment”
She said Nigeria was an example of a Country that managed to significantly increase national TB case funding 50% in 2021 using innovative approach as such as the expansion of the daily observed treatment protocols, use of digital technologies, community active case, funding and enlisting public private initiatives.
Moeti urged leaders, governments, private, communities and all stakeholders to foster the resilient health systems required to accelerate the use of TB response
“So that we can reach the Sustainable Development Goals targets by 2030”
