African countries urged to take actions to end TB by 2030

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA  | Xinhua | Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of death in Africa, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year, African Union (AU) officials have said.

The officials made the remarks at an event to mark the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day, which falls on March 24 every year to raise people’s awareness of the deadly disease, at the AU headquarters here, on the theme of “Yes! We can end TB.”

“The statistics are sobering with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden, accounting for 23 percent of the global TB burden and over 33 percent of TB deaths,” said Sheila Shawa, a senior technical specialist of the African Union Commission (AUC).

Referring to a WHO report that reveals an estimated 2.5 million people fell ill with TB in Africa, resulting in around 424,000 deaths in 2022, Shawa said TB topped the leading causes of death in the continent in the following year.

She said vulnerable populations such as children and adolescents can be at much higher risk of developing active TB especially when their immune systems are compromised by malnutrition, HIV or other chronic diseases.

Sabelo Mbokazi, head of division of labor, employment and migration at the AUC, said TB response by member states is shockingly underfunded.

“African countries need to address the social determinants of health including poverty, inequality, lack of access to health care and awareness about the disease. They are the drivers of TB prevalence in the continent,” said Mbokazi, adding that the disease is challenging the continent’s health security.

Noting domestic investment for TB programs has been a perennial challenge across the continent, he urged for mobilizing additional resources to deal with TB in children and adolescents particularly following the setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Francis Chisaka Kasolo, director of WHO liaison office at the AU and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, expressed concern over slow progress in addressing childhood TB in Africa, with 60 percent of children (0-14 years) with TB not diagnosed.

“Ending TB is not a matter of science and policy; it is a matter of will and collective action by all,” Kasolo said.

Member states and partners are urged to take immediate action to ensure a holistic and comprehensive TB response to end TB in Africa by 2030. ■