By Hassan Zaggi
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on governments across Africa to mobilise additional domestic financial support to end Tuberculosis.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, made the call in a message to mark the 2022 World TB Day.
She further appealed to donors, the private sector, civil society and academia to pay, what she described as, increased attention to urgently boosting investment in the fight against TB and in TB research in order to accelerate technological breakthroughs and uptake of innovations towards ending TB by 2030.
“I call on governments to mobilize additional domestic financial support for TB control, including contributions to the Global Fund, which last month launched its US$18-billion Seventh Replenishment campaign in a bid to counter the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on the fight against TB.
“I urge all stakeholders to advocate for increased investment, and to ensure that TB services are integrated into the primary health care response. We must all also work more closely with our communities, leveraging their expert local knowledge to tailor response efforts for maximum impact.
“I appeal to donors, the private sector, civil society and academia to pay increased attention to urgently boosting investment in the fight against TB and in TB research, in order to accelerate technological breakthroughs and uptake of innovations towards ending TB by 2030,” Dr. Moeti stressed.
She, however, expressed fear that with 36% of all TB deaths occurring in Africa, failure to invest in the TB response “is set to take a formidable toll on African countries.
“Increased investment can be a game-changer, and alleviate the preventable suffering and death of millions of our people,” she said.
Dr. Moeti reiterated that increased funding from domestic sources and international donors is urgently needed “if we are to counteract a reversal of the significant gains made against TB in the past decades.
“At the current rate of progress, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of ending the TB epidemic by 2030 will not be achievable.
“To reach the target, TB incidence would have had to record an annual decline of 4% to 5% in 2020, increasing to 10% per year by 2025, and then to an average 17% annually in the following decade.
“In fact, the world saw an increase in the number of global TB deaths for the first time in over a decade in 2021. Contributing factors included reduced access to TB diagnosis and treatment, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
