1.4 million people with tuberculosis, lost out on treatment during first year of COVID-19 pandemic, according to World Health Organization.
Today is World TB Day. Observed on 24 March each year, the goal is to raise awareness and understanding about one of the world’s top infectious killers and catalyze action to address its devastating health, social, and economic impact around the world.
Many people who have TB are unable to access the care they need. WHO is estimating that over half a million more people may have died from TB in 2020, simply because they were unable to obtain a diagnosis. One way to address this is by restoring and improving the TB screening efforts to rapidly identify people with TB infection or TB disease.
Today, new guidance by WHO to achieve this will help countries identify the specific needs of communities, the populations at highest risk of TB, and the locations most affected to ensure people can access the most appropriate prevention and care services.