Top U.N. officials, health industry leaders, and activists on Monday demanded that the world invest more in developing new vaccines and addressing a surge in tuberculosis. The impact of COVID-19 and conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Sudan, have contributed to the increase in TB cases.
During a crowded meeting, activists chanted “End TB Now,” and several TB sufferers gave speeches. U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, whose father transmitted tuberculosis to her two-year-old sister, spoke about their experience. Her father passed away at the age of 60 due to TB, but her sister, now 50, survived.
Dr. Lucica Ditiu, the executive director of the Stop TB Partnership, stated that tuberculosis is currently the largest infectious disease killer worldwide. Approximately 4,400 people, including 700 children, lose their lives to TB each day. Dr. Ditiu made these remarks prior to a hearing held to prepare for a high-level meeting on September 22. Which will take place during the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering of world leaders.
“Global Efforts To Combat Tuberculosis”
The U.N. deputy secretary-general mentioned that global efforts to combat tuberculosis have saved 74 million lives since 2000. However, in 2021, over 10.5 million people contracted the disease. Resulting in an estimated 6.1 million deaths. TB has now become the leading cause of death for individuals with HIV. Mohammed emphasized that the TB epidemic is driven by various factors such as poverty, malnutrition, and HIV. And it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable individuals in all countries. She stressed the importance of addressing these underlying drivers of the disease.
Mohammed stated that $22 billion is required by 2027 to ensure that all diagnosed TB cases have access to quality treatment, as well as health and social benefits to prevent financial hardship.
Additionally, an annual $5 billion is needed for TB research and innovation. She expressed optimism, saying that the development of safe and effective tuberculosis vaccines and convenient one-stop shops for quality tests and care would be a significant game changer.
In a video address to the meeting, U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged that COVID-19 had severely impacted essential health services, including those related to tuberculosis.
He mentioned that conflicts in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East have further hindered access to life-saving services for people with TB. Tedros emphasized that the high-level meeting in September must be a turning point in reinvigorating progress in the fight against TB. He called for the expansion of existing tools and the development of new ones, including new TB vaccines. To facilitate this, WHO has proposed the establishment of a TB vaccine accelerator council to oversee the development, licensing, and utilization of new TB vaccines.