New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Europe saw about 7,000 additional deaths from tuberculosis (TB) in the three years of the Covid pandemic from 2020-2022, compared to pre-2020 estimates, according to a new report. The report, released ahead of World TB Day on March 24 by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, highlights the impact of the pandemic on TB mortality.
The increased mortality was attributed to the disruptions caused in diagnosis and treatment efforts during the pandemic, as per the latest TB surveillance and monitoring report. Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director at WHO/Europe, expressed concern over the situation, stating, “7,000 needlessly lost their lives because of disruptions to TB services.” The report also revealed successful cure rates in TB treatments using first-line medicines at their lowest in a decade.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the rising prevalence of drug-resistant TB and emphasized the need for national authorities to strengthen TB testing programs for prompt diagnoses. The management of TB and HIV co-infection was also deemed “suboptimal” in the report, urging for improved efforts in finding and treating missing cases of TB. Recommendations included scaling up TB testing, enhancing access to preventive treatment, and implementing more effective treatment regimens to combat the challenges faced in TB management.
As the world marks World TB Day on March 24, the report serves as a reminder of the critical need to address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on TB services and mortality rates in Europe. The call to action for national authorities to prioritize TB testing and treatment programs is crucial in preventing further unnecessary loss of lives due to TB.
