… The WHO reveals this information while celebrating World TB Day today
BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE– Eswatini is on the winning end of the fight against TB and HIV/AIDS.
Barely months after it was revealed that the country has significantly beaten the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that tuberculosis (TB) deaths have declined by 35 percent in the country since 2015.
This was revealed today by the WHO during its World TB Day address.
The WHO also revealed that holistically, Africa recorded a 26 percent reduction in death from tuberculosis.
However, the report also revealed that Nigeria had significantly increased national TB cases by 50 percent in 2021, using innovative approaches such as the expansion of the daily observed treatment protocols, use of digital technologies, community active case finding, and enlisting public-private mix initiatives.
It also said through technical support, advocacy and effective partnerships, enormous progress had been made over the past decade, especially in the East and Southern African Regions. According to WHO, high-burden countries, like Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia have surpassed or reached the 20 percent target of reducing new TB cases.
In her remarks, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti said significant progress had been made in eradicating TB in Africa.
“WHO in the African Region is now on the threshold of reaching a 35 percent TB death reduction. There has been a 26 percent reduction in TB deaths between 2015 and 2021. Seven countries, which include Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Soudan, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia have reached a 35 percent reduction in deaths since 2015,” she said.
Speaking on the year’s theme, ‘Yes, We Can End TB’, Moeti said there was need to ensure equitable access to prevention and care, in line with the country’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Moeti expressed delight that member-states were increasing the uptake of new tools and guidance recommended by the WHO, resulting in early access to TB prevention and care and better outcomes.
She explained that the use of rapid diagnostic testing in African countries increased from 34 percent in 2020 to 43 percent in 2021, thereby improving the countries’ ability to detect and diagnose new cases of the disease.
“It is particularly important to find and diagnose cases of TB so that the patients can be treated, and their contacts offered preventive medication.
“Nigeria is an example of a country that managed to significantly increase national TB case finding by 50 percent in 2021 using innovative approaches such as the expansion of the daily observed treatment protocols, use of digital technologies, Community Active Case Finding, and enlisting Public Private Mix initiatives,” she said.
Moeti further said TB required concerted action by all sectors- from communities and businesses to governments, civil society and others.
“We must work together to develop innovative approaches to reach vulnerable populations and ensure that they have access to quality TB care and management.
“We commemorate World TB Day yearly on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of this preventable disease and call for accelerated action to end it.
“In 2021, with a clear roadmap, the WHO in the African Region showed that it is possible to reach – and even surpass –the first milestone of the End TB Strategy (20 percent reduction by 2020), with a decline rate of 22 percent in new infections since 2015,” she said.
